Abandoned Children
by Sarlinia
Summary: c/o w/ Yuyu Hakushu: Sanzou and company stumble upon two young youkai from another dimension that both Gyokumen and Homura are bent on possessing. Two youkai with the red eyes of the Children of Taboo. (please give it a chance).
1. part 1

NOTES:  ::laughs maniacally::  All right, I am getting waaaayy in over my freaking head.  I have to many unfinished fics that I am working on, and this one just adds up to the list.  But it was good, it was poking at my brain (kept me up till 4 freaking 30 in the morning), I just had to start it.

IMPORTANT NOTES!!!!!  Now, I have not seen much of Yu Yu Hakushu.  I've only seen whats been put on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim (at the moment, Hiei just defeated Serieyu and Yuuske is gonna go fight with Sozaku).  BUT, I have been doing my homework and I do know about Hiei's past, and about Yukina.  But, just in case I write something wrong or have Yukina out of character (after all, I haven't met her yet, I have are fanfics and pictures), forgive me and just kindly point them out to me so that I can do better as I go on.

All right, I'm going to try to write this so just in case some Saiyuki fan who doesn't know YYH can follow, or if some YYH fan doesn't know Saiyuki can follow, that way both sides are going to enjoy it.  So, please give it a chance, okie?

WARNING:  Violence, Kougaji's step mom (hate that…ahem), adult situations, and racism.

VOCAB:

_Koorime:_  Ice maidens are called the Koorime (I think)

_Jagan:_  The third eye on Hiei's head that allows him to control humans and weak Youkai.

_Kami:_ God, immortal.  Whatever.

_Sutra:_  Holy scrolls that the Sanzous carry.  There are five of them.

_Genjo Sanzou:_  It is a title of the highest ranking Buddhist monk.  His job is to protect the sutra he carries on his shoulders).   The person who becomes a Sanzou forsakes his name and takes up this new one.  

Please enjoy and throw me a line if I mixed up some facts!

**ABANDONED CHILDREN**

**PART 1**

Drip… Drip…Drip… 

It was the sound of water dripping onto metal that woke Hiei up.  There were voices as well.  Garbled and low, he could not make out any of them.  He could not tell whether they were allies or enemies.  The sound of the dripping water told him that he wasn't in the Makai at least.  Was it the Human World?  He did not feel that he was there, surrounded by humans up and down.  He did not know where he was, and that was dangerous for Hiei. 

Even though he felt a sense of urgency and danger, Hiei still had difficulty opening his eyes.  Feeling groggy and a little sick, he managed to crack his fiery eyes open, trying to take in his surroundings.  What he found was just dark blurry masses surrounding him, so he shut his eyes, uttering a low curse.  The garbled voices became louder but still they were as blurry as his eyesight. 

_I've been drugged._

It took a moment for Hiei to realize that he was laying flat on his back on a flat metal object with his arms stretched out away from him.  When he tried to move his arm he felt the cold restraints of metal barring his movement.  It was the same thing with both his legs.  He put some pressure onto the cold bonds and was angered to feel the sting of strain on his wrists and ankles.

_I've been captured._

He tried to summon his powers to burn the restraints, but found he could not.  Someone must of put wards on his bounds.  Whoever had captured him knew that he was dangerous and had taken the precautions to render him helpless with wards that weakened him and stunted his powers.  And with his Jagan already warded behind his bandana, he could not put it to good use.

_Someone is going to die._

Hiei swallowed the welling fury that rising within him, calming himself down as he tried to remember how the Hell he got into this situation, with him drugged and tied down like some animal about to be dissected in one of those human schools.  He hated being tied down, he hated being restrained and controlled.  Whoever had done this to him was going to get his Black Fire Dragon shoved down their throats, and then he was going to destroy whatever facility he was in so that there was nothing left but ashes.

He remembered he was with Yuuske and the others just 'hanging' as Yuuske liked to put it.  The fool Kuwabara had wanted to take a short route to the park instead of crossing all the roads and dodging traffic.  Normally, Hiei would have not bothered himself with such trivial things as going to parks, but Yukina had come to him personally and had begged him to join them.  So he had relented and joined them on their walk to the park.  Normally, if he did bother himself with going to the park with the group, he would have gone on his own, jumping from building to building till he reached the park.  He would have found a comfortable shady tree and taken a short nap before the group showed up.  But Yukina had come to him and expressed her happiness that Hiei was going to walk with them to the park and not go off on his own.  So Hiei had stayed, all for Yukina.

So, idiotically trusting the fool Kuwabara, the group had gone into an alley of sorts.  It was dark and smelly and he had not liked it to begin with.  Yuuske had kept close to his girl Keiko, Kurama had gallantly offered his arm to Botan, and the fool Kuwabara had dared to promise Yukina that he'd protect her.  This was coming from a man who had nearly wet himself when coming face to face with a mouse.

He would have insulted the fool, so that he would forget about Yukina and leave her protection in his hands.  But Yukina had smiled, and Hiei wanted to see her smiling.  The fool made her smile so he was going to let this slide by…. just this once.

But then suddenly, out of nowhere, with no warnings, the ground beneath him disappeared, and he felt himself falling.  Yet when he tried to catch himself, to jump out of harms way he found a strong force sucking him into a black hole beneath him.  As he fell he saw Yukina breaking away from Kuwabara, her slim pale hand grabbing his outstretched bandaged one…

A waft of freezing air hit Hiei, causing his eyes to snap wide open as he heard a familiar shriek to the side of him.

Yukina… 

Hiei turned his head to the side and saw a blurry shape not too far away from him, a familiar turquoise blur where the head was supposed to be, and two red dots where the eyes were to be found.

It was Yukina…and she was fighting back.

"He's conscious."

Hiei looked to the other side where he heard a male voice speak.  The blurs were becoming more distinct, meaning the drugs were wearing off.  Squinting, he could make out a tall man next to him holding something white in his hand.  Hiei closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again.  It was a man, tall and gangly wearing a white science coat, and glasses…and was that a stuffed animal in his hand?

He felt movement right next to his head before a hand reached and touched his cheek.  Hiei immediately snarled and showed his fangs, having full intentions of biting the hand that dared to touch him.  The hand withdrew with a gasp.

"Empress Kyokumen, are you all right?" 

It was a female's voice.  He then saw her, standing where Yukina was still a blur, but he could make out her writhing.  She too was lying on a metal table, bound with solid metal and warded, though they had made a mistake for she was able to use some of her Ice Maiden powers.  It was snowing slightly.  He hoped someone here would just fall and snap their pathetic necks.  That way  he would have one less fool to kill once he was free.

"Strong willed, isn't he?"  Came a sultry voice of another woman from above.  He hated it immediately.  He could tell from those four words that he was dealing with someone who thought the world revolved around her, and would not take anything less than being treated that way.  

Hiei involuntarily jumped when two pale hands slammed on either side of his head and a woman's face loomed above his, turquoise hair tickling his cheeks as the owner of that sultry voice, a beautiful Youkai woman, said lowly with a leer on her face, "I like strong-willed children."  The woman then moved one hand and caressed his forehead where his third eye was covered and warded.  "And this child is very…_very_ powerful, isn't that right, Nii?"

The tall man spoke, a jester's grin on his face even though a cigarette dangled from his mouth.  "Yes, my Empress.  This boy is extremely powerful.  Whatever he hides behind that bandanna and bandages emit an immense amount of youki.  Unfortunately I can't tell you what they are without taking off the wards that he already placed on them.   That would be dangerous now wouldn't it?"  

Hiei snarled again and lunged forward, wanting to mar that arrogant face.  The woman did draw back with a huff, and asked the man she had called 'Nii' impatiently, "What can you tell me about these two children, then?"

"Well," started the man. "I'm sure we all know by now that they are both Youkai. The girl, obviously can manipulate ice and snow, seeing that it is snowing indoors at the moment."

He had raised his voice at this, and when he paused, the snow stopped. Hiei glance quickly to the side, seeing that the man had got Yukina's attention, and she had paused in her struggling to listen to what the man had to say.

"Thank you, my dear.  It was getting quote chilly."  Nii said in a cross between mockery and graciousness.  "Now, the boy here is something else altogether.  By sampling his blood…"

If possible, Hiei felt a wave of panic.  If the man had truly sampled his blood then surly he would have found traces of his Koorime heritage.  This was no way he wanted Yukina to find out that he was her twin brother.  He braced himself for the inevitable, not knowing how to stop it.

"…he is a Fire Youkai, that's for sure, but there was something odd about his DNA that suggested that there was something more to him, but before I could run a full scan my computer crashed, and it will take some time to get it fixed.  But, my Lady, he is extremely powerful, and in my opinion, he could probably go against Prince Kougaji.  Hell, he might even give Sanzou and his group one for their money."

"Intriguing."  Said the Queen.  "And what of Humora?  Could this boy get my sutra from Humora?"

"Humora is a Kami, and Kami's are just as difficult at being disposed as Sanzou.  But at least it would be a very interesting battle."  The man looked down at him then, and Hiei could not tell whether to take this man seriously or to laugh his head off at the fact that he was holding a stuffed bunny in one arm.  "What do you think, boy, can you go against a God?"

Hiei placed a nasty sneer on his face as he hissed, "I think if anyone calls me 'boy' one more time, I'm going to tear each of you're throats out."

"H…Hiei…san?"

Hiei looked to the side and saw Yukina lying on the table next to him, her large red eyes filled with wonder and fear.  It seemed that only now she had noticed him.  Maybe they had drugged her too.  

The Queen sauntered over to her, sitting comfortably to the side, reaching and running a hand through Yukina's dishelved hair.  The two had the same shade of hair; though Yukina's was a bit darker…Hiei liked Yukina's hair.  Seeing his twin flinch and pull away, Hiei once again tried to pull against the bonds that held him futilely.  He saw the man looking at him, but his eyes never left the woman who was looming over Yukina.

" 'Hiei' ?" Cooed the woman. "Is that the boy's name?  Such a strong name for such a strong boy, don't you agree?"

Yukina looked away, biting at her lip.

"You're such a pretty girl.  You must have a pretty name to match it."

Instead of answering, Yukina looked at the woman and asked softly, "Tell me…where are we?  Why have you kidnapped us?"

For a moment Hiei feared that the woman was going to strike Yukina for her impudence.  Hiei had been on the receiving end of such occurrences for her was impudent and rude and did not care what anyone said.  He could handle such attacks.  It was over his dead body that Yukina had to deal with it.   No one would ever hurt his sister while he was still alive and able to protect her. 

They had been separated at birth.  Their mother, a Koorime had had an affair with a Fire Youkai, something forbidden to the Koorime who were all female and had their children asexually.  At his birth, he was taken away and thrown off the floating island of the Koorime, and his mother was executed for her transgression, but she was allowed to give her two children two of her tear gems, for when a Koorime wept, their tears turn into gems.

He had lost his precious treasure…his mother's tear gem…long ago.

He was Hiei the Forbidden Child, castaway of the cold Koorimes.  He was a loner, one of the best cutthroat thieves of the Makai.  He was cruel, cold, and ruthless, yet he cared with all his heart for the sister that did not know who he was.  He knew that he was being a cold cruel bastard for not telling her, even though he had sworn as a price for the powerful Jagan on his forehead that he would not reveal his true identity.  The same third eye that this cold cruel bastard used to search for his twin sister.

The same cold cruel bastard who was about to go on a killing spree if that bitch did not stopping touching his sister!

The woman pulled back, still sitting, but thankfully refraining from touching.  Shrugging, she said, "Well, it's fair that I tell you a little, so then maybe things will make sense when you do tell me some things."

Hiei thought that unlikely, but kept silence.

"Good Doctor Nii was attempting an experiment in summoning.  We were aiming to bring a creature from the Infernal Land here and trap it, that way we could use its powers against our enemies without having to summon it.  Only one person here can summon, and unfortunately refuses to allow us to attempt to clone him."

Hiei thought he heard a growl, and his eyes caught sight to someone standing in the shadows, watching but not liking the company one bit.  Hiei didn't blame him.

Nii spoke, "But, after that Kami, Humora, attacked the castle, we have been having technical difficulties.  We were supposed to capture a creature from the Infernal Land, which has immense youki with fire, but instead we got a Youkai boy with immense fire youki. You girl obviously had been trying to aid him and was sucked in accidentally."

The Youkai Empress then asked Yukina curiously, "What is he to you that you would put yourself in danger for him?  Is he a friend?  Surely not brother since you both are quite different Youkai.  But then perhaps…is he you're lover?  Ice and fire do not mix well, I suppose, but what can stop love?"

Hiei saw Yukina gaping at what the women said, and Hiei felt a shiver run through him.  The mere thought of his own sister as his lover…it was a thought that made his mind go blank.  It was a thought that he dared not think about.  He had once feared that Yukina would fall in love with him, but thankfully she had fallen for the fool Kuwabara.

Finally, Yukina seemed to find her voice.  "He…he is a friend."

The woman raised an arched eyebrow, then she reached her long fingered hand to he chest and pulled out Yukina's tear gem.  "I found this on yourfriend.  Such a pretty thing isn't it.  Now where would a boy like him acquire this pretty gem?  Why would he wear it around his neck like it was very precious to him?"

Hiei did not think as he let out a fierce snarl and lurched up as hard as he could, wanting nothing more to snatch back his sister's precious treasure that she had given to him.  She had given it to him to give to her brother whenever he is found.  She did not know that her brother had found her, and had treasured that gift like the one he had lost long ago.  It was his special treasure.

His abrupt reaction caused everyone in the room to stare at him, including the shadowy figure.  He snarled again and tried to will the bandages to disappear so he could call Kokuryuu and burn the witch where she stood.  He lurched and writhed, his mind reeling in fiery hatred and wrath.  He ignored how his wrists stared to bleed from his violent struggles.  All that matter was the gem.  He had to get it back.  He had lost one treasure, he would not loose another.  And a betraying tormented voice that hid in the darkness of his heart whispered to him, _"It is the last that I have of the mother who wept for me."_

"My.  What wrath."  Said an astounded Empress Kyokumen.  

Hiei then went totally still when he heard Yukina's voice, trembling with suppressed tears.  "Please give it back.  He struggles because it's not his to loose."

"Oh?  And who does it belong to?"

Hiei turned wild eyes when he heard the tell tale sound of _clink clink_.  Hiei once again felt a wave of panic before he shouted angrily, "Yukina!  Stop!"

But it was too late.  Yukina was crying, her tears turning into beautiful gems and falling onto the metal table.

"My, my."  It was the man called Nii who reached down and picked up one of the gems, looking at it in appreciation.  "I have never heard of a Youkai who when weeping, produces gems instead of tears.  And look, Empress, they are almost identical to the gem that you took from the boy."

Yukina had stopped crying, somehow able to suppress the tears at Hiei's command.  "It isn't mine.  It was my mothers.  Please give it back!"  Her grief-filled voice cut Hiei deeper than any knife.

The Empress seemed mildly interested at this new development.  She then handed the tear gem to Nii and said, "Why don't you go and study this and tell me what its worth."

At this dismissal, the man's grinned a jester's grin and walked away, pausing by the shadowed figure for a brief moment, then exiting the room with gem.  

"Well then, down to business!"  Said Empress Gyokumen cheerfully.  "I have a use of the two of you."

Hiei almost laughed at this.  How dare the woman assume that she had the power to make use of him?  He was going to kill her.

A shadow fell over him and Hiei looked up in shock.  It was a young man.  A Youkai with a air of power and pride about him.  Hiei knew then by his youki that it was the shadowed figure. Long red hair fell down his back and partially covered on of his eyes.  He had marks on one cheek, and he looked down at Hiei with a frown knotting his dark features.  Hiei knew that this was a leader and a worthy advesary.

Hiei turned away from the man and looked back to the witch.  "Kougaji, I see you're still here."

"I wanted to observe what I supposedly summoned with the help of your machinery."  He spoke scathingly, with barely suppressed hatred.  

The Empress threw her head back imperiously.  "Well, then, I guess you might stick around and see what you summoned use their unique talents in aiding me to get back the sutras from Humora and Sanzou."

Hiei could not hold his tongue then.  When he spoke his voice dripped with disgust and venom.  "And makes you think we would help you?"

The slithery smile that spread across the woman's face like a thin snake discomforted Hiei.  She looked at Hiei for a moment then commented, "Interesting.  Both of you have the red eyes of taboo.  You're hair isn't red, but you both have the same eyes."  She shrugged at this then held up a small metallic object so Hiei could look at it.  

The she turned away and went to Yukina, reaching down and pulling slightly at her kimono so that a little of her chest was showing.  Yukina started to struggle, wiggling away from the Youkai women.  The female in the white coat came and placed to hands on Yukina's thin shoulders, holding her in place.

Hiei laid there rigid as stone, putting strain on his metal bonds, his nails biting into his palm, and feeling the warm slickness of his blood welling up and smearing the surface beneath him.

Empress Gyokumen glanced over her shoulder at Hiei and said, "This little thing, once placed on this pretty girl's chest will merge with her veins and find root in her heart.  It will amplify her powers so that she is ten times more powerful than she is now.  She will become a weapon. If removed, it will self-destruct, taking her with it.  If I have a reason, I can trigger the self-destruct mechanism from the main computer that Professor Nii has."  She then said, "You are powerful, Hiei, just like your name.  You will help me to retrieve the sutra that Humora took from me, and the sutra that the human Genjo Sanzou wears on his shoulders."

There was a long silence, then Hiei hissed, "What does this sutra look like, and where do I find these men?"

Yukina cried, horrified, "No, don't do it Hiei-san!"

The Empress thin lips smiled in triumph as she said to Hiei, "They are scrolls.  You'll know them when you see them. We will give you the location of the ones who have them."  

Hiei wished nothing more that to slice those lips off her arrogant face.  He did not trust her, and his instincts were correct when the smile turned into a sneer when she said, "But to make sure you cooperate, I'll still place this wonderful creation on the girl.  She might come in handy later."

She turned away from him, and went over to the struggling Yukina, the doctor woman still holding her still by the shoulders.  Hiei howled in rage and once again tried to futily free himself.  Yukina cried out, and Hiei shut his eyes to block out what was about to happen, cursing his helplessness, his weakness, his…

Suddenly, the male Youkai with the flaming hair leaned down, and unlatched one of the metal bonds that held his arm down.  Hiei froze as the one that the Empress called 'Kougaji' whispered, "Do not kill them.  Take the girl and go."  Then he was gone.

And Hiei did not waste time.  He reached and tore off the white warded bandana, opening his Jagan and looking straight at the female doctor who held his sister down.  In an instant, the woman shuddered, and turned on her Empress, ramming into the other woman's stomach and knocking her down.

Hiei sneered, "Weakling."

He freed himself easily, tearing off the wards, and disintegrating the metal bonds.  He leaped off the metal table and started toward Yukina who was gasping as if in shock.  Then he heard a crunch and looked down.  And evil smile spread on his face when he realized that he had just stepped and crushed the machine the Empress Gyokumen was going to use on Yukina.  

Hiei paused for a moment and looked at the shrieking Youkai women and her subordinate.  He could kill her.  He could call on Kokuryuu and wipe the earth of her slimy existence…but the one who had freed had told him to spare her.  The woman was lucky indeed.

Hiei went to his sister, who stared up at him with wonder in her eyes.  He tore off the wards and unlatched the metal that held her down.  Then, taking her hand in his bandaged one, they ran.  Both ignoring the harpy like shrieks behind them.  The female doctor would come to herself in a few moments for he had not reinforced his youki when he had taken control of her.  Still, he hoped the Empress would punish her dearly.  No one ever touched his sister. 

They ran by odd machinery and large test tubes with creatures within them.  They were odd, twisted, and in torment.  Hiei pitied them.

When they cleared the door, the first of the Empress's lackey's appeared, summoned by her infernal shrieking.  They hesitated in shock.  Why, Hiei did not know, and did not care, put their hesitation cost them as he attacked with his fire, shoving the flames onto their faces.  They screamed and flayed about in agony, but Hiei paid no mind to their suffering, using his speed to relieve one dying Youkai of his sword, then grabbing Yukina and continued running.

The fools were no match for his sword skill and might.  He cut them down with ease, and watched with mild surprise as their dead disappeared into dust.  He had never seen a Youkai die like that, and wondered if all Youkai in this dimension died the same.  He was thankful that Yukina remained behind him at all times, not trying to attack or take things into her own hands.  She relied and trusted Hiei's strength would be enough to protect her.

They continued to run, taking odd turns, ducking into dark corners while more Youkai guards hunkered past them.  The place was a labyrinth and had thousands of Youkai crawling within its corridors.  Hiei cursed his ill luck and continued to run, Yukina doing her best to keep up.

It was then disaster struck.  One of the Youkai that Hiei had cut down, pulled out a small pipe and blew at it, sending a dart out and striking Hiei on the back of his neck.  Hiei stumbled in shock, pulling the small needle out and stared at it with wide eyes.  The tip was black.  

Poison.

"Hiei-san?  What is it?  What's the matter?"

The world suddenly twirled and twisted into a miasma of color and motion.  Hiei stumbled and his knees buckled, the sword falling from numb fingers and clattering to the floor.  It was then Yukina caught him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him up desperately.  

"Hiei-san!  Hiei-san!  What's wrong?"

Hiei squinted at her, barely hearing her voice.  Mustering all his strength, he lifted the hand that held the needle up so that she could see it.  "Yukina…chan…"  He whispered before darkness overcame him.

Yukina gasped when she saw the needle, and was prepared when Hiei lost consciousness.  She was never strong physically, so her muscles strained and trembled as she continued to on, dragging Hiei along with her.  There was no time to try to heal him with her powers.  She just prayed that the poison wouldn't spread to his heart before she got a chance to heal him.  She prayed that the poison wasn't lethal. 

It was by chance that the Yukina stumbled into an open room that had computers and other odd machines humming and working.  Yukina slowly scanned the room, not liking how there were no lights other than the neon illumination of the computer screens.  Then suddenly there was a quick movement behind them.  Yukina cried out in surprise, and twirled around, the unconscious Hiei still being held in her arms.

It was Professor Nii.  He stood with his Jester's smirk, and lazily shut the door and locked it.  Yukina trembled in fear and shank back, clutching Hiei like a life line.  "Stay back!"  She shouted with as much courage she could muster.  She knew that Hiei could easily get rid of the man.

The man's grin never left as he raised his hands and said, "Oh don't worry.  I'm not here to capture you."  He then reached into his pocket and pulled out her mother's tear gem.  "I have all the data I need from this.  You can have it back."  The then threw it to her.  Yukina watched with wary eyes as it landed just inches from her foot.  Still, she did not move.  To pick it up would mean she had to let go of Hiei, and she was not willing to do that just yet.

The man walked to the side where the odd bunny he had been holding earlier sat.  He picked it up and held it like a precious child.  "I can't send you back to your home, but I do have a machine that will transport you out of the fortress and away from here."

"Why would you do that?"  Asked Yukina curiously.  

"For data. Because it'll all be so interesting.  More interesting than your friend going against Sanzou and probably being destroyed in the process.  Though, he is very powerful, and he just might have a chance against Sanzou and his group, but the man has a knack for surviving encounters such as these.  No, it is more interesting to see what two Youkai from another dimension, that both have the eyes of taboo, do in our world.  Will they choose sides perhaps?  Will they try to live their lives, for it seems the Minus Wave has no effect on them?  Will they try to find a way to get back to their own dimension?  How will they do it?  To what lengths will they go to accomplish this goal?"  The man's grin lengthened as he tapped the stuffed animal on the head.  "You see?  It is very interesting."

"I don't understand you."  Said Yukina, finding herself oddly calm in his presence.  She went down slowly, lowering Hiei with care.  Then she picked up the chain that held her mother's tear gem, and placed it back around Hiei's neck, tucking it under his black coat carefully.  She stood, pulling Hiei back up with her.  "I don't understand what you mean by 'the eyes of taboo', or Minus-Wave."

The man shrugged.  "Well, it will be just as interesting to see you both find out what it means.  It won't be hard."  He paused then said, "More guards are coming.  My dear, why don't you step ten paces back right between those two rods with all the cables on them.  It doesn't look it, but it is my transportation device.  I have sent many Youkai through it, so there is no worry of a malfunction."

Yukina looked over her shoulders and found the two rods.  She jumped when there was banging on the door.  Desperately, she turned to the man.  "How do I know that it isn't something to trap us with?  How can I trust you?"

The man merely shrugged again, the jester grin infuriating.  "What do you have to loose?  There is no other way out this room."

Yukina shuddered and looked down into Hiei's face.  She bit her lip when she saw the cold sweat that had formed on his forehead.  His purple Jagan was shut, and his breathing was harsh.  She wondered what Hiei would do if he were conscious.  What decision would he make?

Slowly, she dragged Hiei and herself to the rods.  She then went to her knees and cradled Hiei to her.  She looked up to find Nii already working on a computer, looking like he had just been given a tasty sweet.

Yukina closed her eyes and buried her face into Hiei's dark hair just as the cables lit up in a blue light.  

Then the world changed.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Yeah!  Tell me what you think!  Tell me!  Tell me!  Tell me!


	2. Part 2

NOTES:  Second chapter!!!!  Sorry that Sanzou and group weren't in the last chapter, BUT THEY'RE  HERE!!!  So, don't worry.

WARNINGS:  Racisim, big time in this chapter.  Violence.

LANGUAGE:

Baka:  Idiot

Saru:  Moneky

Itai:  Owwww/ouch

**ABANDONED CHILDREN**

**Part II**

A cool breeze ruffled Yukina's hair.  The smell of fresh grass and the outdoors wafted her nostrils.  She lifted her head and opened her eyes with a gasp.  Gone was the dark room with its computers and cables.  The Professor Nii with his jester's grin and stuffed animal no longer stood by his computers.  The Youkai guards of Empress Gyokumen no longer banged at the door, trying to gain entrance to apprehend her and Hiei.  They were free the fortress and whatever horrors lay within its walls.

She sat on her knees, her arms still cradling an unconscious Hiei.  She was outside, surrounded by grass.  There was a dirt path to her left, followed by some grassy hills and what looked to be a forest.  To her right there was a shallow river, clean and inviting.  Mustering the strength she had, she tightened her grip around Hiei and pulled herself up, making her slow way to the river's edge.

She lay Hiei down carefully on his back, then pulling out a small white cloth from the folds of her kimono, she dipped it into the cool river, wrung it and dabbed at his face gently.  Turning his head to the side, she brushed the fine black hairs at the nape of his neck and looked at the tiny puncture wound there.  It wasn't discoloring, and Hiei merely seemed unconscious.  There were no muscle spasms, his lips remained the normal color and though his breathing was a bit labored, there was nothing else.  An open wound, Yukina could heal with her powers, but poison was something she had no power over.  All she could do was wait it out and pray that whatever had been injected into Hiei's blood was not lethal.

She continued to dab at him, relieved that his temperature remained normal.  It was while she wringing the cloth over his lips, wanting to hydrate him that slowly his eyes slid opened, red eyes slightly dazed and exhausted.

"Hiei-san!"  Gasped Yukina in relief.  "How do you feel?"

Hiei blinked up at her and made an attempt to sit up, but Yukina pulled him back down saying, "You mustn't move.  You were poisoned and though I'm sure it isn't lethal, I still don't want you moving around and spreading it through your system."

Hiei glowered tiredly at this, and his eyes drooped, barely staying conscious.  Yukina looked away from him and whispered softly, "You must be mad at me."

"Why do you think that?"

Yukina gasped at Hiei's soft tired voice, looking down at him in shock that he had been that aware even though he was barely conscious.  

He was frowning at her, a look that looked slightly ravaged on his drained features.  "Why do you think that I am mad at you?"  He repeated.

Yukina found that she was blushing, and looked away from his fiery red eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul.  It was at times like these that Yukina felt that Hiei knew her more that she knew herself.  Not even Kuwabara whom she loved could fluster her like Hiei could with a few simple words.  Perhaps it was because he had experienced a lot in his life.  She knew he had been raised by thieves and had a very harsh life unlike her sheltered one on the Island of Koorime.  His life probably enabled him to see through people like her.  People who were…

At her silence, his frown deepened, so Yukina forced herself to say truthfully, "You are mad at my weakness.  I showed that women how frightened I was, and…and I even wept before her, revealing my ability to make the tear gems.  I am weak unlike you.  You never showed them a trace of emotion other than your anger at their holding you and me.  I…I must disgust you with my weakness."  She looked away in shame.  "You are always saving me, Hiei-san.  I really am a pitiful creature."  Her eyes filled with tears.

"Stop that."  Said Hiei gravely.  "I don't know where you got those stupid ideas.  I am not mad at you because you wept or because you showed your fear.  You are neither weak nor pitiful.  Had you been weak or pitiful we would not have escaped."  Yukina looked at him at this.  "It is true."  Continued Hiei, his voice oddly gentle.  "You are the one that saved me today."

Yukina let the tears fall then, wiping them with the back of her hand.  "I…I got my mother's tear gem back."  She said in a shaky voice.  "That doctor in the white coat gave it back."

She watched him slowly reach into his black shirt and pull out the small gem.  She watched as a look of utter relief and calm came over his features.  He then said almost wistfully, "You're brother…would treasure this gem…it would be his most precious treasure…"

She looked at him oddly, for she caught a hint of pain in his voice.  Hiei was never this talkative, and she didn't understand what she was seeing before her.  Hiei looked young and vulnerable, the opposite of what he usually was.  Cold and collective, without a trace of emotion that could be used against him.  Yukina admired these traits in Hiei, so it unnerved her when she saw him acting otherwise.  Perhaps this was the poison speaking. After a pause she replied, "Because, it is my mother's tear gem."

Hiei shook his head, "Maybe…but I would think that…that it would be precious because…it would be a gift from you…"

Yukina sniffed and said softly, "But, Hiei-san, I know you are mad at me."

He looked up at her, the frown returning slightly.  "You shouldn't have…tried to pull me away."

"What?"

Hiei shut his eyes, lids too heavy to say open.  "You should have stayed by…Kuwabara's side…instead of trying to pull me away…trying to protect…me…"  His words drifted off as once again he fell into unconsciousness.

Yukina sat over him, pondering over his words.  Letting him sleep, she drank some of the cool river water, silently wondering what she could do while he slept.  She could not chance wondering around, for though Hiei seemed safe, his condition could turn for the worst.  Also, there could be wild animals out, and even unsavory characters.  It looked like they were in the human world, but still, they were in another dimension and anything could happen.

It was almost an hour later that Yukina heard voices coming from the path.  Standing she looked over and found over ten human men walking.  They're clothes were odd, nothing like the clothes the humans wore in Tokyo.  She hesitated when she saw them carrying shovels and rakes, but then she saw that they were covered in dirt.  

Thinking them now farmers coming back from work, Yukina ran up to the path. She did not run to meet them, not wanting to take her eyes off the still unconscious Hiei.  She stood impatiently, wringing her hands as the men spotted her and hurried their pace over to her.  So wrapped up in her own anxiety over Hiei, she did not see the men's faces twist into hatred as they finally got a good look at her.  

"Please," She said desperately, "My friend has been injured, and we are lost.  Can you please help me?" 

"You and your friend are Youkai, aren't you."  This was hissed at her by the closest man to her.  Yukina looked up at him at this.  Usually humans had no clue about Youkai, unless they had were spiritually inclined like Kuwabara and his sister.  

She gasped and stepped back when one of the men raised his shovel threateningly at her.  The man snarled, his eyes bloodshot, "We just buried our families 'cause they were ripped apart by you murdering Youkai!"

"Why don't we kill them and be done with it.  The less Youkai the better!"  Shouted another.

"Kill them! Let's rip them apart!"

Yukina did not bother to protest, or to cry out.  Her heart hammering in terror she sprang away from them, nearly tumbling as she went to the still unconscious Hiei and pulling him to her.  He moaned, but did not awaken.  She let out a strangled cry when she saw the men, their shovels and rakes raised, stalking slowly toward her and Hiei, the promise of death in their eyes.  She yanked Hiei back, both of them stumbling into the river, the soft currents reaching up to her waist.  Clutching at Hiei who remained limp and unmoving, Yukina brought forth a small blizzard with her powers, aiming the strong winds at the men.  

_"Get away from us!"  _She yelled as loud as she could.

The men swore foully and stumbled back from the biting icy winds.  One fought Yukina's blizzard to the river's edge, swinging his large shovel back and forth as if attempting to block the wind.  This man swore at Yukina, who trembled at the pure hatred in his voice, "Dirty Youkai bitch, I'll kill you myself when I reach you."

He swung the shovel at her, and she cried in pain as it grazed her shoulder throwing her back, taking Hiei with her.  She struggled up, grasping at Hiei and keeping his head above the water, her kimono weighing her down heavily, her blood coloring the water red. Her blizzard had died when she fell, and when she looked up she found the shovel wielding man standing over her, the shovel about to descend.  

And Yukina, seeing her death approaching, buried her face into Hiei's wet hair and gasped, _"Hiei-san!"_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sanzou…I'm hungry."

An annoying whine, high pitched and hard to ignore, repeating like a broken record behind his ear.

"Oi, Saru, you've already said that ten times!  You need to learn some new words."

A nasally lazy voice, older than the last one but just as annoying and childish.

"Who asked you, cockroach?"

The monkey.

"What did you say, you dumbass monkey?!"

The pervert.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!!!"

The fan.

"Itaiii!!!!  What did you do that for you violent droopy eyed monk!"

"You didn't need to hit me, monk.  The monkey here has been the one whining all this time."

"Ah, what a peaceful day we're having."

A calm content voice amid the chaos and mayhem.

Genjo Sanzou didn't even grace them with a glance as he simply pulled out his exorcism gun and pointed it over his shoulder at them, simply saying in a low growling voice, "Shut up, or die."

It did shut them up.

For five minutes.

Sanzou dropped his head into his hand, feeling a major migraine about to start pulsing at his temple.  Beside him, driving the green jeep, Hakkai smiled serenely at him and said, "My, they are as lively as ever."

Sanzou managed a tired glare at the green-eyed man, saying, "Not for long if they keep this up."

'This' being Gojyo holding Goku in arms length by the head, while the idiot monkey boy tried vainly to score in some punches and kicks.

It was like this every single day as the four traveled west together.  They woke up, and Gojyo does something while waking Goku up, to make the boy throw a fit.  At breakfast, either Goku ate the last meat bun, or Gojyo stole the last fried shrimp, and again, a fight erupted.  On the road, not an hour went by without something happening between the two.  Then at night when bedding for the night, a fight would erupt over whose sleeping with who, or who gets the bed.  The only time those two weren't after each other was when being attacked by Youkai, and unfortunately, there hadn't been any attack or ambush for a week.  In other words Sanzou never had a moments peace.

Sanzou glanced at the two in the back at the sound of Goku's distressed voice calling him.  Somehow or other, Gojyo had maneuvered Goku so that he was being held by the neck with his head between his legs, his arms waving around futilely for freedom.

Gojyo held the boy down with an amused smirk on his face, a cigarette dangling from his lips.  His long red hair flapping wildly as the wind blew it back, his red eyes burning with glee at Goku's expense.  Sanzou could not understand how the twenty-two year old half-breed could go from his age to a brawling teenager in a matter of seconds when Goku was involved.  It was as if he was making up for a lost childhood.

Actually, it could just be that…

Goku was straining himself, looking with his large golden eyes, beseeching Sanzou to interfere and aid him.  The boy's unruly brown hair was a complete mess; the only thing holding it slightly in place was the golden diadem on the boy's brow that held back Goku's true horrific powers.  Sanzou had the urge to whack the boy with his fan again, that stupid look was on Goku's face again, the one where all his hopes were resting on Sanzou and Sanzou alone.

Baka Saru.

It was reliable Hakkai who came for the teen's rescue.  The ever pleasant smile on his face as the he looked over his shoulder, hands never leaving the steering wheel and said to Gojyo, "I think you've held him like that enough, don't you agree, Gojyo?"

Gojyo glared, his red eyes narrowed onto his green-eyed friend, "You keep driving, and keep that freaky grin off your face."

Hakkai blinked innocently at him, "Freaky grin?"

Gojyo wasn't buying it.  "Don't give that innocent act.  It's that smile when you're about to do something dangerous with out warning us."

"Hakkai…Sanzou…!"  Whined Goku, still in that uncomfortable position.

Sanzou stifled a moan, if they wouldn't shut up in the next few second he was going to shoot them all…he was going to hand their corpses from a tree, and then he was…

The blizzard caught all of them unaware.  The cold biting wind hitting them, startling Hakkai so that he lost control of the jeep and swerved into a ditch, throwing Gojyo and Goku out in a heap.  Sanzou managed to hold himself from bashing his brains on the dashboard, and Hakkai took held back from the steering wheel.  

"What the Hell…"

Hakkai spoke, staring grimly at the direction of the blizzard.  It's main force coming from beyond the trees on the other side of the road, "Sanzou, this isn't natural."

Suddenly, Goku was next to him, a bit dusty but unharmed, behind him a shocked Gojyo. The half-Youkai was staring at the blizzard with a look that said that he didn't like what it implied. 

Sanzou then saw a serious look on the Goku's face.  It was rare that the boy ever looked serious.  Even when fighting he had the time of his life, smiling as he eradicated anyone who dared challenge him.  Though with recent events, Goku had been showing his serious side more and more.  "Goku?"

The boy looked at him, his golden eyes uncertain as he said, "I'm not sure, but I think I smell blood."

"It could be a trap."  Warned Hakkai.

Gojyo snorted, "It's always a trap, either from Kougaji or from Homura.  In case you haven't noticed, we're veeeerryy popular."

All their heads shot up at the sound of a scream.  Sanzou looked at his three companions, already knowing that the scream had made up their minds.  It seemed damsels in distress was their Achilles heel.  All three were idiots, but he would not get in their way.  Sanzou had been always able to tell when there was something malevolent about a situation or person.  What he was feeling from the direction of the blizzard was no aimed at them.  And anyway, even if he did sense something wrong, and warned them, they'd still go off like stupid heroes to rescue the girl.

"Sanzou?"  Goku who was looking at him, waiting for his word.  Unlike Hakkai and Gojyo, Goku would always (or usually) wait for Sanzou's word to move out.  Sanzou took a moment to stare at the direction of the blizzard, his blonde hair flying back off his face from the sheer force.

"Lets go."  He muttered lowly, wondering what consequences his decision would make.  There was something off by the whole thing, but Sanzou could not tell what.

Climbing out of the jeep, the four ran off the road and into the foliage of trees.  The center of the blizzard was even stronger, forcing the four to rebalance themselves.  They trekked on, almost blinded by the snow and ice that was thrown at them.  What seemed like forever to them was only a few minutes before they broke free of the trees to find themselves at another road right beside a river.  

Over ten men were gathered at the edge of the river, all wielding shovels and rakes, shouting and cursing at a girl who stood cowering in the middle of the river, holding to her an unconscious boy.  It was from this seemingly teenage girl that the blizzard came from, aiming at the men who were attacking her.  

Youkai.

The blizzard then died as the girl was struck on the arm, sending her flying back into the water, at the mercy of the man who stood over her.

They moved then, Gojyo going to the who was about to kill the girl, grabbing the man by the arm and slugging him on the face, sending him flying back and into the river.  His red eyes glinted with a mix of mischief and anger as he said, "Since when do armed men gang up to beat an unarmed girl?"

Sanzou, with Goku at his side, came between the other men and the river.  Sanzou merely took out his gun and shot it in the air, making the men drop down in fear.  They were brave when attacking children, but when faced with an armed man they were cowards.  Shovels and rakes were no match for a gun.  At least they had sense for that.  Goku growled at them menacingly, though it was mostly in show, enjoying the power trip of the men being petrified of him and his companions.  

From the corner of his eye, Sanzou watched Hakkai slowly approach the girl and the boy she held from where she still cowered in the river.  The whole scene made a cold shiver run down Sanzou's back, and made him feel a burning rage at the men who cowered before him.  In the recesses of his mind, he heard a faint chanting:

"Drowned Kouryo…Drowned Kouryo…" 

Hakkai's voiced quelled the inner chanting in his head. 

"Are you hurt?"  He asked sweetly, offering the girl his hand for assistance.  "Your friend doesn't look well, let me take him for you…"

"No!  Please, stay away!"  It was a frightened cry, one who had been terrified and confused, one who didn't know who to trust.  She had very weak youki, that blizzard was probably the extent of her powers.  If that man had struck her again, she would have died.

Sanzou let Hakkai and Gojyo calm the girl, as he turned all his attention on the cowering men before him.  Ten grown men, were now prostrating themselves before him, obviously recognizing him for who he was.  Goku was looking at him in amusement, the boy knowing how much he hated being worshipped and enjoying watching him deal with it.  

"Sanzou-sama…!"

Bloody shit.

"Shut up."  He growled venomously.  He swore to himself that he was going to shoot every last one of them if they didn't have a good excuse.  "You better have an excuse for attacking children."

The man who had succeeded in striking the girl blubbered  in a shaky voice, "Sanzou-sama…they're….they're Youkai, Sanzou-sama!"

Sanzou glared icily at him.  "Tell me something I don't know."

The man winced and continued, "Our village was attacked by Youkai, Sanzou-sama, our families…everyone was butchered. We…we weren't there at the attack; we all had gone out to visit the neighboring village for the day.   But…but when we returned…" His voiced dropped off in grief and he looked away to compose himself.  When he spoke again his voice was hard and he cast hateful looks toward the girl, who was being supported by Hakkai as he helped her get out of the river.  Gojyo was carrying the unconscious boy.  The girl shrank back at the deadly glare from the man, hiding slightly behind Hakkai's tall form.  The man continued, his eyes never leaving the girl.  "We buried all the dead and torched the village.  Then came upon those two Youkai.  She said that her companion was injured, probably when they were killing our friends and family. The little bastard can die, its what he deserved!  We have the right to avenge out family's death!"

"You're wrong!"  Sanzou turned in surprise to find the girl, who had been hiding behind Hakkai, now coming to stand by him.  Her hair was an odd aqua color, and her eyes…Sanzou started when he saw red eyes glaring angrily at the men.  A half-breed.  "We had nothing to do with what happened to your village!  We're were kidnapped, and now we're lost!  Hiei-san didn't get injured attacking your village; he was poisoned when we ran away!   You had no right assuming that we did anything!"

"You're Youkai."  Snarled the man.  "That's enough evidence for me.  All you Youkai scum enjoy nothing more than murdering us humans and destroying our lives!  You're brutish animals that deserve to be butchered like you did with our village."

The girl could only gape at him, tears rising into her eyes. When Sanzou was sure that the tears would fall, she stilled herself and drew the tears within, though Sanzou noticed that she could not still the trembling of her hands. 

Finally, Sanzou spoke, tiring of the whole situation.  "You have no evidence that these two Youkai were among those who attacked your village."

The man gaped up at Sanzou, "But…but…they're Youkai!  The Youkai all over the land are going on a rampage and killing us.  It would just be better to kill them all before they kill us!"

Sanzou sighed and turned away from them, not wanting to stare at the men's stupid faces any longer. "Just because Youkai killed you're village, doesn't mean all the Youkai have gone on a rampage.  There is something that has driven the Youkai crazy, and only a few remain sane, as it seems these two have.  Go, find another village and rebuild your lives.  You are lucky that today who have not stained your hands with the blood of innocents."

"But…Sanzou-sama…"

The monk suddenly whirled to them, a gun in his hand.  "Go!  You're lucky I haven't shot you already.  Ten grown men attacking two unarmed children, Youkai or not, is despicable.  GO!"  He shot at them, and the men cried out like the cowards they were and tripped over themselves as they desperately tried to distance themselves from the murderous monk's wrath.

Idiots.  They were all idiots.

Goku, who had been standing silently by his side at him and moaned, "Sanzou, all that action made me hungry."

"Shut up." It was always the same.  One day he was going to beat the hunger out of the stupid monkey.  But not now, he still had to deal with the Youkai girl and the unconscious Youkai boy.  He turned to her and once again had to start at facing her red eyes.  A quick glance was enough for him to notice that Gojyo was staring at the girl with a haunted look on his equally red eyes.

Child of Taboo:  The offspring of a human and Youkai.  They're trademark was the red hair and red eyes.  Just like Gojyo…Yet, this girl had the red eyes, but her hair was different.  Was she a half-breed, or was she just a simple Youkai? There was one thing for certain:  Sanzou felt no malice or bloodlust from her.  She posed no threat to them, but Sanzou would not let his guard down.

Sanzou was more than a little surprise when the girl suddenly stood and bowed low before the him, saying gratefully,  "Thank you so much for saving us.  How can I ever thank you?"

He noticed that Goku, Hakkai, and Gojyo were smirking knowingly.  How was it that no matter where he went, people (and now seemingly Youkai) felt the impulse to bow before him as if he were Buddha himself?  Rolling his eyes slightly, he said, "Stand up."

The girl obeyed, facing him squarely.  She was a cute little thing, with her large eyes and round face.  He saw that the sleeve of her kimono as soaked in blood, but the skin beneath it was still whole, meaning Hakkai had put his healing ki to work.  

Sanzou felt the comings of a migraine when he felt the familiar tug of his sleeve, followed by the annoying, whining voice of Goku, "Sanzou!  I'm hungry!"

"Shut it or I shut you up for good!"  Hissed Sanzou, restraining himself from pulling out his fan and pummeling the boy's head in.  His threat silenced the boy for the moment, allowing him to turn to the girl and ask, "Who are you?"

"My name is Yukina."  She replied, the glanced toward the dark haired boy whom Gojyo held carefully in his arms. "My friend is Hiei.  And again, I thank you for saving us...but please…Hiei-san had been poisoned and needs a healer to look at him.  We are both lost, and don't know where to go."  She had raised her hands and was clasping them to her chest, pleading.

Sanzou raised a pale eyebrow at this.  "You said you were kidnapped."

The girl named Yukina nodded, a frown marring her pretty features.  "Both Hiei-san and I were taken.  I was drugged then, and I am still confused about the some of the details."  Suddenly, she gave Sanzou a sharp look.  " 'Sanzou'?  You're name is 'Sanzou'?"  She then looked at the sutra that was draped over his shoulders.  "And with you, you carry very important scrolls."

At her words, Sanzou raised his gun and pointed it at her head.  The little Youkai girl's eyes widened slightly, but she did not flinch away.

"Sanzou!"  Protested Hakkai.  

"Monk!  Put that thing away!"  Growled Gojyo angrily.  

Goku surprisingly said nothing, his attention somewhere else.  Sanzou was not about to deal with the idiots.  "Who are you?"  He growled menacingly, his finger pulling slightly at the trigger.

"I am Yukina."  Replied the girl calmly.  "Hiei-san and I were kidnapped from our home.  The one who took us wanted Hiei-san to go after a man named 'Genjo Sanzou', kill him, and take the scroll that he carries.  We managed to escape, but Hiei-san was poisoned in the process."

"Why should I trust you?"  He hissed.  Who was it that had sent them?  Was it Kougaji, though kidnapping was very unlike him (though then again, the whole story could be a lie), or was it Homura, that idiot Kami?

Sanzou jerked back as he sensed the rising of a very strong and deadly youki, and suddenly, Gojyo cried out as a black whirlwind of fury rammed into Sanzou, sending him and his gun flying to the ground.

"Hiei-san!"  

Blinking red flashes of light, Sanzou looked up to find the boy, Hiei, standing over him.  He was just as short as the girl, but with spiky black hair with a splash of white in the front held up with a white bandanna.  He wore all black, with one of his arms bandaged.  The boy had an immense youki, the bandanna and bandages actually wards to block out some of his powers.  What stood out about him, though, was that like Yukina, he had red eyes.  But unlike the girl, whose eyes were gentle, this boy's eyes were twin drops of red rage and hatred.  The eyes of a killer.

"Hiei-san!"  Cried Yukina, standing behind the boy who looked about to tear him limb from limb.  Not far from them, Gojyo was on the floor, clutching his ribs, with Hakkai next to him.  The boy must have done something drastic when waking up in the arms of the half-Youkai.  Goku was no where to be seen.

Yukina continued to cry out desperately to her friend, "You mustn't move, Hiei-san!  The poison!"

But Hiei ignored her, and Sanzou watched as the boy raised his unbandaged hand, a black flame swirling around his fist.  "I'll kill you!"  He snarled at Sanzou, but when he stepped forward, he stumbled a little, his eyes drooping slightly, as if fighting to remain conscious.  

So he really was poisoned.

Then, the absent Goku suddenly appeared, coming to stand between the boy and Sanzou, growling warningly, "I won't let you touch Sanzou."  He raised Nyoibo, and crouched in a fighting stance, gold eyes trained on Hiei and only Hiei.  Sanzou stood painfully, and stepped back, his eyes searching for where his gun had fallen.

"Then die with him!"  Snarled Hiei, eyes almost glowing at the approaching bloodshed.  But he swayed slightly, his black fire flickering.  He fought it though, and crouched, facing off with Goku.  

To the side, Hakkai was about to send a ki blast at the black haired boy.  

Gojyo summoned his weapon.

And Sanzou picked up his gun and aimed it at the weakened Youkai boy.

"STOP IT!"  Screamed Yukina, leaping at Hiei and wrapping her arms around the other's waist, as she fell to her knees.  "Please," She wept hoarsely, tears sliding down her cheeks and falling to the floor as…gems.  "Please Hiei-san, don't move or the poison will spread and just may become lethal."

Sanzou watched as all the rage and hatred washed away from the boy's face, his bloodlust gone.  In its place was a pale young face of anguish and pain, red eyes haunted by one who had seen too much.

"Yu…Yukina-chan…" Whispered Hiei, looking down at the girl who clung to him weeping.  His black flames extinguished as his hand fell limply to his side. 

"You won't be able to heal, and might die."  Wept the girl.  "I am not strong like you Hiei-san.  Please, I need you."

Sanzou and his companions watched this display in wonder.  Sanzou was aware of Goku stepping closer to him, his golden eyes sad and ancient as he looked at the two.  

Stupid Monkey.

Hiei's legs chose to buckle then, and Yukina cried out as his sudden weight dragged both of them to the ground.  She cradled his head and ran her hand through his hair soothingly and whispered softly just enough for Sanzou to hear:  "Rest Hiei-san.  Don't worry, just rest and when you wake up it will all be fine."

There was anger in his voice as he said heatedly,  "I will kill them."

Yukina smiled through her tears and shook her head, "They will not harm me, Hiei-san.  Now rest, and when you have healed everything will make sense."  The boy fought unconsciousness, and failed, going completely limb in the girl's arms.

Yukina looked up at Sanzou, her eyes sad as she asked, "Are you hurt, Sanzou-san."

"No."  He replied coldly.  He hated being caught by surprise.

Gojyo came up to them, glaring slightly and the unconscious boy, but he gave the girl a crooked grin and said, "That little imp is strong."

Yukina nodded solemnly, "He is.  He did not take kindly to seeing Sanzou-san pointing that gun at me."

She sighed and looked up at Sanzou.  "Sanzou-san, please, Hiei needs a doctor to look at him."  Her voice became slightly pleading, "At least…at least point out the direction to a village.  I am already in your debt for saving us and…"

She stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise as Goku knelt next to her, looking at her face in amazement, making her blush nervously.  The brown haired boy then asked curiously, "Are you like Gojyo?"

"Hey!"  Snarled Gojyo.

Yukina blinked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean are you a half-breed like that perverted cockroach?"

"YOU TACTLESS BAKA SARU!!!"  Howled Sanzou, bringing out his fan and hitting the boy upside the head with it, making a loud resounding CRACK.  For an idiot who had a weakness for cute girls, he had no tact whatsoever.

Goku proceeded to wail in pain, grasping his head and demanding, "What the HELL did I DO?????!!!!"

In the background Gojyo cackled in merriment at seeing the idiot monkey get what he deserved, while Hakkai just smiled idiotically, used to such violence.  Amazingly, Yukina started giggling cutely, brushing her wet hair from her face.  But she sobered quickly, looking inquisitively at Goku who still knelt before clutching his aching head.  "How…how did you guess?"

Gojyo also knelt before the girl, Hakkai taking a step closer.  The girl and her murderous companion had truly snared the interest of them all.  Sanzou huffed in exasperation at the idiots, knowing where this was going to lead, but he listened just as intently as the others.

"I...I am the offspring of a forbidden union.  Myself and my twin brother."

"Which of your parents were human?"  Asked Gojyo, that haunted look in his eyes.

Yukina looked at him oddly at that, then said the most unbelievable thing:  "Human?  What are you talking about?"

Four pairs of eyes stared at her, but Yukina stared back at them.

"But…didn't you just say that you were the offspring of a forbidden union?"  Demanded Gojyo, leaning on Goku's head, the boy snarling and trying to push his offending arm away.

"Yes."  Yukina said seriously.  "The forbidden union of a fire Youkai, and a Koorime, an ice Youkai."

Once again four pairs of eyes stared right at her, but their eyes dropped down nervously when Hiei shifted from where he lay.  Yukina placed her hand on his bandaged forehead, but the black haired boy stiffened slightly, head jerking back from the touch.

The inevitable happened:

Yukina looked at Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku…

Who then all looked up at Sanzou.

Idiots.  They were all idiots.

"Ch'.  Do what you like."

But then, only an idiot would be journeying west.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Riiiight!  Took me three weeks, but I finally was able to spit this chapter out!  Whew!  

I hope I was coherent enough, YYH fans, if you're confused than just e-mail me and I'll be happy to explain some confusing things.  This way I'll know what details to add in the next chapter (unless its giving away something I don't wanna give away that is important to the plot!).

About Hiei being sort of OOC:  I've seen both YYH movies, and in the second one, Hiei used his Kokoryuha and sort of got drained.  Is it just me or was he kind of vulnerable after that?  He's still himself, but there is a softness there that I'm playing on.  Hiei is poisoned, he's sick, and he's barely conscious.  He's one tough SOB (like Sanzou) but he ain't no God, and his touch exterior is going to break during these moments of vulnerability.

But overall, just tell me what you think!!!


	3. part 3

NOTES: Right. Now is the continuation of this crossover. ::glances over at previous chapter:: ok, it looks alright so far. K' moving on. In this part, Hiei finally recovers from the poison, but how is he going to get along with Sanzou and his friends?  
  
BTW, I watched this anime music video from animemusicvideo.org, and it was about Hiei and Yukina and just by watching that song, it made me understand Hiei and Yukina's relationship an little more. I can't remember who made the video unfortunately, but it was sad and sweet.I think the title of the song was "Cry Little Sister"..i think.::sweats:: but anyway, the point is that I finally saw some Yukina/Hiei interaction and it was sweet (after all, I've only seen up to episode 21.what cartoon network's adult swim has aired).  
  
WARNINGS: umm.just put Sanzou and Hiei together is enough of a warning.  
  
  
  
ABANDONED CHILDREN  
  
PART III  
  
Breathing.  
  
It was the sound of someone's soft breathing that woke him up. Soft and rhythmic of one who was asleep. For a moment, Hiei wondered who dared to fall asleep in such close proximity to him.and who dared to be holding his hand so affectionately while he was unconscious.  
  
Hiei lifted his hand and clenched it into a fist, preparing to strike at the slumbering figure who clutched at his hand. He hesitated in his attack, the familiar youki of Yukina coolly brushing away the redness of his anger like a feather. Slowly, he opened his eyes, his sight focusing on the pale face and aqua hair of Yukina. She sat on a chair, leaning forward on the bed he apparently lay in, fast asleep, holding his hand with her hair a disheveled mass around her white chiseled face.  
  
Hiei yanked his clenched hand back down to his chest, feeling a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the realization that had he not hesitated, he would have struck Yukina.  
  
Gently, so as not to awaken her, he pulled the hand she held away, relinquishing it. Then he took the time to absorb his surroundings. They were in a small room, the walls and floor made of wood. There was a small table that had odd bowls and cloths littering its top. His keen nose smelling a strong scent of some sort of medicinal herb that he could not distinguish. Some on had been sick.  
  
Hiei winced at the thought and reached to the back of his neck, remembering the sharp sting of the poisoned dart. The thought of him being brought down by a mere poisonous dart was humiliating and unforgivable. The only reason he survived was.  
  
Hiei looked back the slumbering Yukina. He vaguely remembered the conversation they had near the riverbank. It annoyed him, for he knew something very important had passed between them, a special memory that he wished to treasure in the depths of his black soul.  
  
A stray strand of hair fell over Yukina's closed eyes. Without thinking, Hiei reached over to brush that obscuring strand away, but stopped cold when he looked at his bandaged hand. Was it not the very same hand that Hiei had nearly struck her with? He hissed, and violently got off the bed, shaking off a wave of dizziness that made him feel unbalanced. He had enough of his weakness.  
  
His black coat was gone; he remembered that he had not worn it that day when everything got screwed up. So now he wore only his black sleeveless shirt, pants and boots. He tightened his wards on his arm, and readjusted his bandanna that had been slightly loose. Now if only he had his sword.  
  
Yukina whimpered, causing Hiei to look at her again. She would surely wake up with a sore neck if she stayed in that uncomfortable position. Hiei went to her, and as gently as he could, lifted Yukina up without waking her, and placed her fully on the bed, pulling the thin quilt over her. She snuggled into the mattress, sighing contently, looking as innocent and as pure as ever.  
  
For a moment, Hiei wondered if he ever had that look on his face.that innocence.that purity. Maybe.while he slept in his mother's arms before he was thrown off the Koorime Island.maybe he had looked just as Yukina did. Not anymore.  
  
Yet, behind that innocence and purity that defined Yukina was a strength and determination that matched his own. How else had Yukina managed to escape while carrying him? It was the same strength that bore her through her imprisonment and torture. The same strength that made her stand straight without a trace of fear when that strange monk was aiming that gun at her.  
  
No, Yukina, you are anything but weak.  
  
Speaking of that monk, he remembered, quite vividly, that he swore to kill him.  
  
"They will not harm me, Hiei-san. Now rest, and when you have healed everything will make sense."  
  
Riiiiight. That was what Yukina had told him to calm him down. Well, he was awake, and healed, yet still things did not make sense. Hiei sighed and walked over to the small window across from the bed. Peering suspiciously through the glass, he found himself looking at a very medieval looking village. People in peasant clothes went about their business, some pulling wooden carts behind them, others going about buying food and other goods from small stalls.  
  
What the Hell happened to Tokyo and its tall glass buildings, cars, sardine squished people, and loud music?  
  
"We were supposed to capture a creature from the Infernal Land, which has immense youki with fire, but instead we got a Youkai boy with immense fire youki."  
  
A summoning spell gone wrong. Understandable. But that still didn't explain where they were summoned to. He knew that there were different worlds out there. He knew of the Makai, and the Spirit World, and of course the Human World. Then there was that stupid Netherworld. But this place.this world did not fit into any of those categories.  
  
Hiei smirked, suddenly thinking of Koenma running around like crazy trying to find him. What would Koenma have to say about his discovery of another world? There was also the problem of his probation. The stupid thing hadn't lifted yet, and knowing Koenma, the little shrimp of a God would lengthen the time.  
  
"Hey Hakkai, I wanna go in and give Yukina-chan lunch!"  
  
Hiei scowled and looked toward the closed door, listening to the voices on the other end.  
  
"Alright, Alright. Just be careful. You don't want to drop Yukina-chan's lunch, do you?"  
  
"I'll be careful! And besides, I NEVER drop food!"  
  
There was a light knock, then the door opened slightly. Hiei glared at the two who entered (who also froze at seeing his fiery glare). One was a man, with short dark hair, and green eyes, wearing a monocle over his right eye and three odd clasps on his left ear. He was smiling, a calm serene smile with both his eyes shut. He looked human, but Hiei could tell easily that he was a Youkai. Strong and sharp, Hiei could tell he had to be wary of him. Like Kurama who smiled and spoke softly, underneath that obscenely sweet grin was something diabolical and ruthless.  
  
The other was a golden-eyed boy, with wild brown hair, and a golden diadem that Hiei felt immense power coming from it. But it wasn't the boy's headgear that held him where he stood.  
  
That boy.he could not forget those golden eyes.  
  
"I won't let you touch Sanzou!"  
  
The boy was strong, and would be a very formidable adversary indeed, and that diadem.Hiei could tell immediately that it was a sort of ward to hold back whatever power the boy possessed. There was also something off about him, as if he was shrouded in a cloud so that Hiei could not tell what it was he was not seeing. Whatever it was, it was ominous and Hiei was not sure he wanted to go through it.  
  
The dark haired man suddenly spoke, "Oh good, you're awake, Hiei-san. Yukina-chan was very worried about you."  
  
It irked Hiei at the fact that they knew his name. "Who the Hell are you?"  
  
The man smiled at him, unfazed by his ire. "I am Cho Hakkai, and this is Son Goku. We helped save you and Yukina-chan when you were attacked."  
  
What.  
  
Hiei laughed at this, startling the two. "Who do you think you're kidding? The only one who attacked us was that blond monk whom I'm going to rip to shreds once I see him again." He then looked straight at boy, Son Goku. "I particularly remember you wanting to join the monk as well."  
  
Goku glared at him, slamming the tray of food on the small table and said, "Look you, if it wasn't for Sanzou and us, you and Yukina-chan would be dead!"  
  
Hiei stiffened suddenly, remembering that Empress Gyokumen's words: "You are powerful, Hiei, just like your name. You will help me to retrieve the sutra that Humora took from me, and the sutra that the human Genjo Sanzou wears on his shoulders."  
  
Truly.what an odd twist of fate.  
  
"Hiei-san?" Hiei jerked slightly and looked back to the bed, only to find Yukina sitting up and looking straight at him. The Koorime maiden suddenly lurched out of the bed and lunged at him, her hands reaching to envelope him in a hug.  
  
But it never came. Yukina stopped right before him, her red eyes shining with happiness at his well-being. "Oh, Hiei-san! I'm so glad you're awake!"  
  
Hiei was very aware of the two other occupants in the room. "Hn," he grunted and looked the other way.  
  
Behind Yukina, Goku looked up at Hakkai and said, "Is it possible for him to be another Sanzou?"  
  
Hakkai laughed nervously and replied, "I doubt that there is anyone like Sanzou, Goku."  
  
Hiei looked at Yukina and demanded, "Why are we with our attackers?"  
  
"Our.attackers?" Yukina blinked at him uncomprehendingly for a moment, and then she smiled gently at him. "No Hiei-san. They are not our attackers."  
  
Hiei could not believe what he was hearing. "I remember a blond monk about to shoot you in the head with a gun, and that idiot boy defending him!" He growled.  
  
Yukina shook her head at him and said, "That was only a misunderstanding. Let me tell you what happened."  
  
And she did. Hiei could only stand in concealed horror at what she related to him. Humans, who had thought the two of them behind the destruction of their village, had attacked her had nearly killed her.they had actually wounded her while he was unconscious. It was inexcusable. To top it all, these strangers saved her. And the irony was that these strangers were the companions of the man Empress Gyokumen wanted him to kill and steal the sutras.  
  
Once she was done, all Hiei could do was clench his hand and pretend that he didn't care.  
  
"Hiei.are you hungry? Look, Goku-san brought up some food."  
  
Goku opened his mouth to protest, while Hakkai said in agreement, "You're still recovering and need to replenish your strength, Hiei."  
  
Hiei could only stare at the man in disbelief. Who did he think he was telling him what to do? Grinding his teeth he stomped past a startled Yukina and right in between the two who were in his way, forcing them to step aside or be shoved out of his way. He went to the door and opened it saying without looking back, "Yukina,"  
  
"Yes?" She replied.  
  
"Sleep. When you wake up, we're leaving."  
  
"But."  
  
Hiei wouldn't hear it. He was in no mood to be contradicted, so he simply walked away, ignoring her protests. He made his way down a wooden stairway to a main room. It was an inn, with tables neatly placed in various areas of the room. At the bar, a grizzled human man was wiping the table with chaffed hands, while a familiar blonde monk sat at one of the tables at the center of the room, smoking, and with his nose buried in a newspaper.  
  
He went rigid, the memory of the man pointing a gun at Yukina's head still fresh in his memories. But then.remembering what Yukina had told him hr figured the human had every right. He was Genjo Sanzou, a high-class monk and protector of one of the Holy Sutras that he wore draped over his shoulders. He and his three companions were on a holy mission west, and Youkai sought to kill him and steal the scroll. If Hiei was in his position, he'd have reacted the same way. They were the same, and Hiei did not like it one bit.  
  
The monk lowered his paper and gave Hiei a cold dispassionate look. Hiei scowled and approached the man, feeling odd at how much spirit energy the man was emitting. This human's spirit powers far surpassed the idiot Kuwabara's. Hiei then remembered the boy, Goku's diadem also let off a lot of spirit energy.it was almost as if Koenma, or even his father King Enma were present.  
  
For a brief moment, Hiei hesitated before approaching the man. Without asking, he pulled up a chair and sat himself across from the monk, and with his arms crossed over his chest, he waited for the human to initiate whatever was to come next.  
  
Genjo Sanzou did not beat around the bush.  
  
"Are you going to try to kill me again?"  
  
Hiei glared, "Are you going to be threatening Yukina again?"  
  
Sanzou snorted and folded his paper and crushed his cigarette in an ashtray on the table. "Tell me," said the monk, "do you know Kougaji?"  
  
How could he forget the one Youkai who showed some kind of honor? "What's it to you?" Demanded Hiei irritably, finding the human way too arrogant for his tastes.  
  
"Are you after the sutra?"  
  
Hiei looked to the white and green scroll that was draped over Sanzou's shoulders noting that it too emitted a large amount of energy. Hiei shrugged, "I have no need for it, and I want nothing to do with whatever is revolving around it."  
  
Sanzou narrowed his eyes and said lowly, "It's a little too late for that. Yukina said that you escaped after being kidnapped, and that you were to come after me. Like it or not, you're already involved." He stood, but Hiei did not look at him, opting to keep a nonchalant expression on his hard face as Sanzou continued, "What do you plan to do if you are pursued?"  
  
Beginning to tire of Sanzou's superior attitude, Hiei stood as well and showed his fangs menacingly, "Anyone who comes near me or Yukina dies, human; it's that simple."  
  
"You think you can take care of yourself?" Mocked Sanzou, his thin lips curling slightly in a dark grin of amusement. "You think you can survive on your own out there and manage to protect Yukina at the same time?" He scoffed, "Idiot brat."  
  
The door of the inn suddenly opened, halting Hiei from rashly tearing Sanzou limb from limb. In walked a familiar figure, and Hiei felt himself stiffen again. It was the tall red head with the twin scars on his cheek and red eyes. It really irked Hiei at the memory of waking up being carried by the man instead of awakening to the security of his companions. It was weak of him, but he had become accustomed to being backed up by his friends when things got bad for him. It was something that he had to remedy quickly, for now he no longer had the luxury of dependable friends.  
  
The tall man strutted over lazily to the blonde monk and handed him a pack of cigarettes saying, "They only had one pack left, you lucky bastard." He then turned his red eyes to Hiei and quirked an equally red eyebrow up. "So sleeping beauty joins the land of the living, eh? You have a cute sister."  
  
Hiei went cold all over at these words, his eyes widening measurably as he stared at the man. "What did you say?" He asked, trying not to let his voice shake in the slightest. How could this total stranger guess?  
  
The man looked at him severely, "You must be some kind of bastard or something, cause that sweet thing won't even admit that you're her brother. She must be real mad at you or something."  
  
"What," grated Hiei, "makes you think that she's my sister?"  
  
The man groaned dramatically and threw himself into a chair groaning, "We all know your little secret, kid. Both of you are like me, though I still don't understand how you could color your hair so efficiently. I mean, both of you were in the water and your hair color didn't change."  
  
Hiei stared at the man, noting that he had an odd youki, not totally Youkai, but not human either.odd. But whatever odd creature he was, he still was not making sense, so Hiei turned to Sanzou who had sat back down and lighting a new cigarette.  
  
"Gojyo, is part Youkai and part human," explained Sanzou after a long silence, "and that is why he has the red hair and eyes."  
  
Hiei blinked at both men, "What does that have to do with me?"  
  
Sanzou flicked some ashes into the ashtray on the table saying, "We believe that you and Yukina are both the same. After all, only beings of that unique lineage have red eyes like yours."  
  
Hiei started to chuckle at this, shaking his head and sitting himself back down across from the men. "Sorry, I have no human blood, and neither does Yukina for that matter. I am a pure fire Youkai," he lied, "and Yukina is a pure Koorime, and we are not related at all."  
  
Gojyo opened his mouth to say something, but Sanzou interrupted him, "Forget it. He wants to be an idiot, let him."  
  
Hiei felt his temper rising again. "I'm really getting tired of you talking down to me, human," he hissed. "You have no idea who you're messing with."  
  
"SANZOU!"  
  
Hiei nearly fell off his seat when Goku suddenly appeared between him and monk, pulling at the blonde man's sleeve imploringly whining, "Sanzou.I'm sooooo hungry! It's been two hours already!"  
  
Hiei's jaw literally dropped when Sanzou pulled out his gun and pointed it between the boy's eyes growling, "Shut up or drop dead! You'll wait like the rest of us!"  
  
So.that was how it was. Hiei felt a smile tug at his lips, for now he was beginning to understand by just watching Goku laugh nervously while his stomach growled in protest, making Sanzou groan. From the side, Hakkai came down the stairs, followed by a sad looking Yukina. She lifted her head slightly and their eyes met for a moment before she looked away, looking even more dejected.  
  
Hiei flinched when Goku abruptly poked him on the arm, saying in a whisper that was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, "Yukina is afraid to tell you that she wants to stay with us."  
  
Hiei gaped at the other boy, staring at Goku's guileless golden orbs before turning to a now horrified looking Yukina. Hakkai placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and pulled a seat out for her to sit which she took, hiding her eyes behind the safety of her bangs. Hiei leaned forward slightly, and tried to keep the distress he was feeling from betraying him as he asked as brusquely as possible, "Why would you be afraid of me?"  
  
Yukina's silence sent an unfamiliar sharp pain lancing through his chest and take away his breath. He noticed that all four men were looking at him, waiting to see how he was going to handle the situation. It angered him that such a thing would happen in front of these untrustworthy strangers. He was uncomfortable, and unsure of what to do and found himself wishing that Kurama was there, for the other Youkai knew how to handle these things better and would be able to tell him. Even Yuuske would have been able to break the atmosphere and save him.  
  
Truly, he no longer had the luxury of depending on his comrades. He was on his own.except this time he had Yukina to protect.  
  
"Have I done anything to make you fear me?" He asked suddenly.  
  
Yukina's head shot up and she said quickly, "No! I know that you would never hurt me, Hiei.its just." she trailed off and twisted her hands on her lap, "I just don't think that we should leave Sanzou-san and his friends."  
  
Hiei blinked, taking into consideration what she was saying. "Why would you want to stay with these idiots? Don't you want to go back home to your Kuwabara?" He knew he was being harsh, but he could not help it. He could not see any reason for staying.  
  
"Watch who're you calling an 'idiot' kid!" Growled Gojyo, "What's with kids these days? No respect for their elders. Just look at the monkey here."  
  
Goku leapt at the red haired half-breed, grabbing him by the front of his blue vest howling, "Don't call me a 'monkey' you perverted red-cockroach!"  
  
Both then proceeded to grapple, hissing and clawing at each other and making quite a scene. Hiei could not believe that these two idiots would start fighting right when he was trying to be serious with his sister. Of course, they didn't know that she was his sister, but they had to be really dense not to realize that something heavy was going on.  
  
"Shut-up!" Snarled Hiei and Sanzou at the same time, causing everyone at the table, including themselves, to jump in amazement and shock. Hiei stared at the monk who was giving him a disturbed look that Hiei could not decipher. Yukina giggled suddenly, covering her mirth with a dainty hand over her mouth. Hakkai too was coughing, trying to not laugh.  
  
Goku and Gojyo on the other hand found nothing amusing about it. "That," said Gojyo pointing at Hiei and Sanzou, "was about the freakiest thing I've ever seen."  
  
"Hiei-san," whispered Yukina getting his attention, "I know you have more experience in this that me, but.but I think it would be safer for the both of us if we stayed with Sanzou-san. They are strong, and will help us find a way to get back. Hakkai-san said so."  
  
"He did, did he?" Said Sanzou.  
  
Hakkai laughed nervously, "Well, her story was such a sad one, Sanzou, and besides, if I understand their story correctly, Kougaji is the one that can probably send them back."  
  
Hiei looked at the dark haired man, acknowledging reluctantly that the man was sharp. "Kougaji accidentally summoned me, at least that was what that bitch told me, so he should probably be able to send us back. Is that what you're saying?"  
  
"Exactly!"  
  
"And what does Kougaji have to do with us staying with you four?" Asked Hiei.  
  
Hakkai replied, "You see, Hiei, we are heading west and west is where Kougaji is."  
  
"Besides," interjected Gojyo, "we always run into that guy, or his little sister, so if you stick with us your bound to meet him sooner or later."  
  
Now there was a point that Hiei could consider. He looked to Yukina and saw her gazing at him hopefully with her very large red eyes. He smirked, showing a bit of fang, "Fine. We'll stick with you." His smirk became feral as he looked straight at Sanzou, "But listen, monk, don't assume that you now have any control over me. As I said before, you have no idea who you're messing with."  
  
Hiei had to leap back when a white blur with wings and red eyes flew just over his head, landing on the table and beeping quite adorably. Yukina made a cute squeal and gentle took the creature into her arms, petting its long neck gently as it crooned in content. "Hiei," she said happily, "this is Hakaryuu, Hakkai-san's dragon. He can turn into a green jeep that they all ride!"  
  
Hakaryuu was a beautiful yet small white-scaled dragon. Slim bodied with large leathery wings that he had folded against his body, and red rubies as eyes. Hakaryuu was a baby dragon, cute and adorable, just as Yukina liked her animals, but the dragon was not totally helpless. Hiei could already sense a fighter's spirit within his small body, something that could come in handy to the four journeying men when he matures.  
  
He chuckled and lifted his bandaged arm and rubbed it, saying, "I have my own dragon, but unfortunately, he would rather destroy everything that moves than cuddle with others."  
  
"Really?" Asked Goku gullibly. "Where is it? I want to see it! It must be really cool and strong!"  
  
Hiei paused at this, thinking. Cool and strong to him maybe, but to whoever on the other side it meant certain death. "Maybe if you get on my nerves you'll meet him."  
  
Goku blinked at him, "Really? Would you really let me fight him?"  
  
Hiei nearly fell over at this, "You idiot! My Kokaryuu would burn you till not even your ashes existed!"  
  
If possible, Goku's eyes became crystallized and shimmering, "Really? Cool, cool, cool! I have got to see him! Kokaryuu is his name? Black Dragon?"  
  
Hiei stared at him, then looked at the other men in disbelief. Sanzou looked like he was rummaging through his robe for something, and ugly vein throbbing at his temple, Hakkai still wore his jester's grin, and Gojyo was looking at him curiously, a cigarette dangling from his lips. Yukina on the other hand was looking at him in disapproval while she continued petting and obliviously happy Hakaryuu.  
  
What the hell?! What did he do?!  
  
"Hiei-san," said Yukina, "I hope you're not planning on using that attack on Goku."  
  
Hiei's jaw dropped open at her words. Was she chastising him? Him? HIM???!!!!  
  
Gojyo then had to make things worse by opening his big mouth, "Aren't they cute? The brother and sister are arguing."  
  
"We aren't brother and sister!"  
  
Hiei flinched, his breath catching painfully, noticing Yukina had turned deathly pale. Somehow, both of them had shouted the same thing, denying any relation what so ever. And it hurt. It hurt to hear those denying words come from her mouth. But what did he expect? Why would she want a murdering brother? He did not deserve her love.  
  
With an ill contained snarl, Hiei shoved himself off the table and stomped to the door of the inn. Without turning he asked, "When are you going to leave?"  
  
"In a couple of hours," replied Sanzou.  
  
Hiei nodded his head and opened the door and stepped out with Goku running after him crying, "Hey! Wait a minute! I wanna see you're Black Dragon! Wait!!"  
  
But Hiei did not feel like waiting, and wished the annoying golden-eyed boy would just leave him alone, because.he had to deal with the sharp pain in his chest that made it hard to breath.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.hehe  
  
Naaaaa..what do you all think? Hope nobody was out of character or anything.  
  
Next time: who will Hiei and Goku meet while jumping roof tops (Hiei trying to loose Goku, and Goku determined to see the Black Dragon).  
  
Heheh.ooh how the plot thickens.  
  
Sarlinia 


	4. part 4

NOTES:  Um…I'm alive…its been a stressful, busy, mind blowing semester.  On the plus side I won second place in my college's fiction writing contest…which was and is the most bizarre thing since I haven't won any awards since elementary school.  I haven't had time to work on any of my fanfics, but now I do and I wanna attempt to attack them before something else in my life pops up to drag me away from my little pieces of semi-creation (since I don't own them, so they're not my creation, just what I'm doing to the characters is my creation so…yeah).  Alright, enough of my incessant babbling.

On an added note:  I have really truly fallen in love with Hiei.  I think I've already mentioned this, but I have only watched what's been shown on CartoonNetwork, and with every episode I loving the little demon even more.  He seems tough (actually he is) but inside he is very vulnerable.  He cares, but he doesn't like to show it, and that is what makes him appealing to me.  There is this look he's always giving Yuuske ( a stare and then a blink) and its when Yuuske says or does something he does not understand and is trying to make sense of it. 

Ok, now I'm really gonna stop my babbling.

WARNING:  Um…I dunno…some violence…

**ABANDONED CHILDREN**

**Part IV**

Hiei remembered that as a young Youkai in the Makai, the higher up in altitude you were, the safer you were.  He had speed on his side from the very beginning, but there were other Youkai out there who could match his speed, and overcome him in strength.  Hiding from pursuers became a necessity, and his favorite hiding places were in the high branches of a tall tree, camouflaged within the foliage of luscious leaves.

But in this particular town, there were no tall trees to take refuge in.  It was dry, and bare, with only a few bushes and a scattering of thin skeletal like trees decorating the land.  Below, on the dirt streets, the humans went about their business, haggling over prices in the market, socializing with friends and working vigorously at their jobs trying to make a living in their short lives.  No one noticed the lithe black-clad figure settling on the roof of one of the homes, laying down flat on his back to look up at the clear blue sky.

It looked the same; Hiei found himself musing silently in his head.  The sky in this dimension looked the same as the sky in the Human World back in his dimension.  He had to admit that it was beautiful, almost giving him a feeling of freedom that he knew he did not possess.  That was why in the Dark Tournament all those Youkai fought for that island, and all those Youkai went to watch the battles. Sure it had been to see murder and mayhem, but it was also to feel for just a moment what the stupid humans took for granted:  an endless blue sky of freedom and opportunity.  

Humans were such stupid and dense creatures, making themselves vulnerable.  That was why he had been willing to team up with Gouki, to steal the three artifacts from the Spirit World.  Vulnerable, stupid humans.  It sometimes angered him that these creatures could walk about their lives, so naïve no to realize their danger.  Youkai like that in the Makai died very early in their lives for such childish obliviousness.  Even the oldest of humans were children compared to Youkai, and it was not age that made the difference.

Hiei shut his eyes from the brilliance of the sun, taking deep breaths to calm his dark thoughts.  Humans were vulnerable because of their emotions and their feelings of attachment to others.  It was what disgusted Hiei with Kurama, who had allowed himself to love his human mother, opening himself many a times to vicious attacks that he could not defend for fear that the human woman could be harmed.  It was the same with Yuuske.  He himself had used the Spirit Detectives love for the girl Keiko against him.

A flash of Yukina's smiling face made Hiei open his eyes.  Wincing slightly he said to the blue sky, "I guess I am a hypocrite."

"Hypocrite?  Why?"

Hiei leap to his feet with a half concealed gasp, turning wide red eyes to his unknown watcher.  Sitting a few meters away was the golden-eyed Youkai named Goku.  Hiei vaguely remembered that when he ran out of the inn, the other had been calling after him about showing him his Black Dragon or some other kind of nonsense.  How had the other managed to sneak up on him without Hiei being able to sense him approaching?

Angered at his carelessness, Hiei glared at the other through narrow eyes, "What the hell do you want?"

Goku cringed slightly at the look that promised extreme bodily harm, but laughed nervously and scooted closer to Hiei, ignoring how Hiei stiffened at the lack of respect for personal space.  "Y'know, you're really, really fast!  I almost lost you.  It's kinda cool, right, to be able to move so fast."

Hiei scowled, "What the hell are you babbling about?"

Goku scratched the back of his head and laughed, "Sorry, its just that I haven't met anyone faster than me, other than Humora, and that's 'cause he's a Kami."  He grinned cheekily at Hiei and waved an excited finger at him, "But I can tell that not only are you fast, but your strong, and that's cool, too."

Hiei blinked at the other Youkai, and let his eyes drift to the golden diadem on Goku's brow.  He could still sense the immense spiritual powers emitting from the golden trinket, and also the dark shadow of intense malignance and fury.  He did not know what to make of the other, who seemed to babble and act like child, but showed potential of being something else all together.

Hiei was beginning to enjoy this mystery that was Goku.  Smirking, he said slyly, "You're something else as well.  Why do you hide behind that cheap metal?"

Goku's golden eyes widened, and his hand instinctively went up to his forehead, touching the diadem with the tips of his fingers.  Hiei noticed the slipping of the smile on his face, and a haunting, ancient look coming into those golden orbs.  But with that instant, the smile was back as Goku said lightly, "You're smart, too.  That's good.  Sanzou always says I have more muscles than brains.  But anyway, why'd you run out.  Yukina looked kinda sad when you did."

Hiei's muscles went rigid at these words, but he said nothing, choosing to ignore that last remark.

But Goku was not stopping.  "Y'know, I don't know why you two won't just admit that your siblings and all.  I mean, sure you might be mad at each other, but its better to just face each other."  He paused than leaned in close to Hiei and asked, "You're not going to hit Yukina with a fan, are you?"

"What?!" Hiei found the prospect of having the power to hurt Yukina was frightening enough, but to strike Yukina in conscious anger was sickening to say the least.  Swallowing his growing anger, Hiei snarled, "First of all, we are not siblings.  There are no relations between Yukina and I whatsoever.  She is an Ice Maiden, and I am a Fire Youkai, if anything we should be sworn enemies."

Goku snorted at this.  "Well, you two both have the red eyes of half-breeds," Hiei felt his already tense muscles cramping painfully, "And also, you two have the same scent."  He touched his nose, "And my nose never has let me down.  I mean, Gojyo and his brother smell the same and they had different mothers!  You and Yukina smell almost exactly alike.  But then…" Goku leered at Hiei and nudged the fire Youkai with his elbow, "Is she you're sweetheart?  I smelled a woman once that slept with Gojyo and they had the same scent till she took a bath."

For a very good moment Hiei was torn between throwing his head back and laughing, or screaming out to the blue sky that Yukina was truly his sister.  Maybe if he just admitted that the two of them had some kind of mutual romantic relationship then the annoying monkey of a Youkai would leave him alone and stop idiotically prying into his affairs.  But then the thought of even _acting_ like Yukina was his…mate was enough to make his stomach churn uncomfortably and he hadn't felt like that since he been poisoned by a lethal plant in the Makai.

Clenching his fist, he felt the familiar gathering of his dark youki, and the crackling of the dark powers gathering around his bandaged fist.  "You seem to think highly of that monk," said Hiei through clenched teeth.

Goku blinked, noticing the rise in Hiei youki and stiffening slightly.  "Yeah, even though he treats me like his servant and hits me on the head all the time, and calls me a dumb monkey with no gray matter in my head…and he's stingy, and always yelling and in a bad mood…" He trailed off, looking despondent.  

Hiei stared at the other young Youkai, and looked away, curling on of his knees up and wrapping his bare arms around it.  "Hn," he grunted, "sounds like a master and slave to me.  Why take that kind of abuse when you can tear that nasty tongue of his out of his mouth."

His words riled Goku up, though Hiei was not surprised.  He had seen how Goku had reacted when Hiei threatened the blond monk.  It baffled Hiei how a simple human (even though he possessed a large amount of spiritual energy) could control a creature of Goku's strength.  He didn't need to fight Goku to know that the other Youkai was a force to be reckoned with.  He and his friends had aided Yukina and him when he was down, so out of respect he would try not to battle with them, or become their enemies.

"I have no master, and will never be anyone's slave or servant, _ever_!" said Goku angrily, his eyes shining with a fiery light.

"Then why are you letting yourself be treated like a dog on a leash?"  Asked Hiei cruelly.

Goku did not reply, his hands clenched at his sides.  He looked away, down at the people below.  Smiling, talking and totally oblivious of the two youkai above them on the roof.  Hiei dropped his chin to his knee, letting his red tinged eyes to shut slowly and relish the silence.  He was being bluntly cruel to Goku, even though he didn't know the other at all.  He had seen already that Sanzou had a lot of bark in him, but why would Goku let the human control him?

It was all about control, and power, thought Hiei.  Survival of the fittest, the winner takes it all and the losers either dies, or disappears into the shadows.  He had always wanted control and with that gained power beyond compare.  Control over his powers and the situations around him that dictated his life, and power to protect him and those he deemed worthy of his protection.  Power so that he would not lose that precious control and go spiraling down into a stream of uncontrolled events that he could not stop.

Like falling through the air and seeing the ground coming up to meet you with death… 

"You talk like Humora," said Goku suddenly, in a quiet voice.

It was the second time Goku had mentioned that familiar name.  Hiei remembered that she-bitch mentioning a Kami by the name of Humora that she wanted him to go after to retrieve a scroll from him.  It seemed that Goku and his friends were the center of everything.

"Who is Humora?"  Asked Hiei, still not sure whether to rule out this man as an enemy or potential ally.

Goku brought his clenched fists up and said angrily, "A real bastard, even though he's a Kami.  He keeps on showing up and pulling us around like we're puppets, and then beats me up and tells me that I need to get stronger.  Bastard."  Goku sighed and looked up to the sky, "But he's really strong, but I am gonna get stronger and beat him up so bad that he'll never forget it!"

"Why would he want you to be stronger?"  Asked Hiei, finding this conversation interesting.  "You are enemies, and it sounds to me that he's defeated you many times.  Why not just kill you?"

Goku fell silent; letting the gentle wind ruffle his hair.  Looking at him, Hiei once again felt the same feeling of something ancient.  The moment was broken when Goku's stomach growled.

Hiei gaped, and Goku groaned, "I'm soooo hungry!  Do you think its time to eat yet?"

Hiei couldn't help but chuckle at the silliness of the moment, "How should I know?"

Goku stood up and stretched saying, "Then lets go back and see!  Knowing Gojyo, he'll eat my share as well as yours.  You can also make up with Yukina if it isn't time to eat yet."

Hiei snarled, showing his fangs, "You go and make up with her yourself, fool!  Quit getting into my business!"  He had hoped that the monkey had forgotten about their earlier discussion, but the other young Youkai seemed not to easily forget things.

Goku tsked and shook his head, "Stubborn.  What should I tell Yukina if she asks me where you are?  She'll be worried about you, and won't rest till she sees you safe."

"Words of experience?"  Hissed Hiei, angry that the fool was making sense…again.

Goku frowned at him, "You really are bad tempered like Sanzou, you know.  Now quit arguing and come on, I don't want to make Yukina sad."

Yes, Hiei was a hypocrite.  His vulnerability sat in the inn chatting with Goku's friends.  She held a power over him that he let no one have…ever.  The power to make him get up and follow her wherever she may go to insure her safety.  The power to curb his anger and rage so she would not be subjected to the mere sight of the ugliness within him.  The power to put cracks into his stone facade so that he could feel emotions other than the engulfing wrath that forever would consume him soul.

With a defeated sigh, Hiei stood and faced Goku who grinned triumphantly at him.  Hiei felt an unexplained urge to hurt the other, to make him feel the turmoil and helplessness that he felt.  Looking straight at the diadem on Goku's brow he asked, "Why do you limit your powers so?  It seems like a habit for you, doesn't it?  Why not take it off?  I'd like to see what powers you possess that you try so hard to hide."

Goku blinked at him and frowned, "Trust me, you don't want to ever see my true form."

"Why not?  You think you can beat me?"

Goku looked straight at him, making full eye contact; shimmering gold clashing with crimson red.  Hiei was slightly taken aback by the total seriousness in the look, having the fleeting haunting, ancient look now directed toward him.

"No," said Hiei, "I wouldn't be able to stop myself from killing you, because I will not be conscious, only the beast that this Youkai Limiter holds back will be present, and he wants nothing more than to coat his claws with blood."

Hiei stared at this, unsure how to react to this sort of disclosure.  Goku seemed powerful as is, but could the diadem be holding back something so great that Goku could not control it, consuming him, and forcing him to become a sort of mad killing machine?  It was like his Black Dragon, if his strength was not enough, his own attack would consume him and send his soul to oblivion.

Goku turned away from him and dropped down off the roof and into the middle of the busy street, startling the humans as they gaped the youth who seemed to have fallen from the sky.  Hiei watched as Goku started walking away, ignoring the stares he was receiving.  Shaking his head, Hiei leapt off the rooftop to another.  Unlike Goku, Hiei did not want to mingle with the humans if he didn't have to.

***~*~*~***~*~*~***~*~***

Yukina's head shot up when the front door to the inn was flung open followed a cheerful voice saying exuberantly, "I'm back!  I'm hungry!  And I brought Hiei too!"

At the sight of Hiei's dark brooding visage, Yukina felt herself relax.  Since Hiei had abruptly left, Yukina could not help but feel that in some way she had insulted him with her words.  Who was she to disapprove of his actions or his attitude?  She knew that Hiei's threat to Goku had been idle, just a reaction to his annoyance and being pestered by the other young Youkai.  Truly, what right did she have at acting so familiar with him?

Standing, she strode up to Hiei who looked at her with unfathomable red eyes and looked away, a scowl knotting the edges of his brows that were not covered by his white bandana.  Yukina then bowed, and she could sense his surprise and the other's eyes on them as she said, "Please forgive me.  I overstepped my bounds, and accidentally insulted you, Hiei.  Please, forgive me."

She was startled when she felt his strong hands clamp onto her shoulders.  With a gasp she was pulled up straight so that she could face Hiei on equal grounds.  His red eyes pierced into her soul, only hinting of the dark secrets that the other kept closed behind doors sealed shut from the light.  She had never met any creature, Youkai or human, which held such a mix of pain, sorrow, and anger to the extent that Hiei did.  It saddened her, for she considered Hiei as a dear friend, and wished that she could relieve him from some of that pain that she knew he bared alone.  But her healing powers could only heal a physical wound, unable to touch the true scars of the heart.

Hiei let his hands drop from her shoulders, and then he looked angry with her, "How is it that you think that you insulted me?  That…that you have bow before me and beg my forgiveness?"  He hissed at her, "I am not so petty, Yukina, so do not make me out to be one."

Yukina realized it wasn't her previous words had not insulted him; it was her words that she had just spoke.  Yukina dropped her own red eyes, letting her bangs to try to hide them.  She had messed up.  "Forgive me, Hiei…I did not mean…"

"Stop it," he said sharply.  "Just forget this.  You never have to apologize to me, for it isn't necessary.  My feelings aren't so raw that some few words can bite me."  His voice gentled, and Yukina looked up to see him looking away, his eyes for a moment so vulnerable that she wanted to take him into her arms and hold him like she did when he was still laid out from poison.  "You don't have to worry, because I doubt that you are capable of hurting me."

From behind, Yukina heard Gojyo snidely remark, "Sheesh, nobody in this room knows how to express their feelings."

Yukina let her heart lighten at this.  In his own way Hiei was trying to tell her:  _Don't worry, I'm not hurt, don't worry, I don't want you to think that you hurt me, don't worry, please stop looking at me like that…_

She smiled at Hiei gently, and brushed her cold fingertips against his bandaged hand.  It was hot to the touch, and Yukina could only wonder at the complete difference between them.  Fire and ice…forbidden elements that should never be mixed together.  Her thoughts drifted to her missing brother.  A baby, torn from her mother's arms and ruthlessly thrown off the floating Island that was the home of the Ice Maidens.  The Forbidden Child, that everyone in the Makai knew of his reputation, but no one knew exactly who he was or where he was.

"Hiei," she said, "Sanzou has already ordered a meal for us, then we will be leaving.  And Hakkai bought me a new outfit since the trip will need me to be more mobile.  I was about to go change, so wait here!"  She whirled around, her teal colored hair brushing against his cheek before she sprinted excitedly up the stairs to the rooms.

Shutting the door behind her, she went to the bed where Hakkai had left the paper wrapped new clothes for her.  Slipping out of her kimono, Yukina put on a pair of light colored pants, and a long tunic that draped down to her knees that was the color of her kimono.  A cloth sash of red went around her slim waist, complementing her eyes, and soft pull on shoes that would be good for running if there were a need.  Truly, Hakkai had outdone himself.  Folding her torn kimono, she escorted herself down the stairs, feeling a brief moment of shyness that sent a slight blush to her pale cheeks.

She was greeted by seeing Hiei sitting stiffly at the table with Sanzou and his friends being served by three waiters weighed down by trays heaping with food.  Hiei was the first one to see her; his eyes widened slightly, but said nothing, which Yukina took as approval.  Hakkai smiled at her, and Sanzou was too busy holding Goku back from diving into the food before it had even been set down on the table.  Gojyo stood, grinning from ear to ear and pulling an empty seat for her to sit on.

She nearly giggled at this treatment and let herself be seated in between Gojyo and Hiei who was giving Gojyo and odd look.  He looked at her and asked, "Why is it that fools are always attracted to you?"

Yukina laughed at this, shaking her head, "Hiei, even dimensions away you still make fun of Kazuma."

She let herself settle in her seat and start to eat human food.  Kazuma had introduced some of it to her, and she found some of the dishes quite appetizing.  She especially like fried spring roll stuffed with vegetables.  Glancing over at Hiei, she saw him sipping at a mug of warm streaming tea, his red eyes studying the four other table occupants.

Hakkai was sipping some sake from a small porcelain cup, his eyes shut in contentment.  Goku was clashing chopsticks with Gojyo yelling something about the red head snitching from his plate.  Sanzou seemed to have developed a margarine, his hand covering his eyes and twitching in growing anger at the two dueling Youkai.  It was so entertaining that she could barely look away from them.  She noticed other people in the inn were staring at them.

"SHUT UP!!!!" shrieked Sanzou, pulling out his white fan and knocking both Goku and Gojyo upside their heads with it in one swing, not an easy feat in Yukina's opinion.  It had to have been perfected after a lot of practice. 

Yukina had to cover her mouth with her hand to stop herself from breaking out into gales of laughter as the two Youkai turned on the ill tempered monk, declaring the other as the evil instigator and thief of scrumptious food.  The two went silent as Sanzou pulled out his gun, brandishing both fan and gun threateningly as he growled, "Choose:  death by bullets, or death by pummeling."  The two crawled back to their seats, watching the monk warily as he went back to eating.

"Ah, was a magnificent feast," sighed Hakkai from beside Hiei.  "But Hiei, I see you haven't touched any of your food."

Yukina looked at Hiei's plate and found nothing but cooling food and untouched chopsticks.

Hiei put his tea down and glared at Hakkai.  "I don't need your cooked human food to maintain my energy."

Goku perked up at this and chirped, "If you don't want it then I'll eat it, Hiei!"

Hiei shrugged and pushed the plate away, watching in almost nonchalant wonder as Goku proceeded to almost finish the contents of the plate in one gulp.  

Yukina sighed and took a bite out of her spring roll, savoring its intricate taste.  Like Hiei, she had at first never even thought of eating human food.  But when she had been captured and imprisoned, the only way for her to survive was to force herself to eat the meager meals that were given to her.  After Hiei, Kazuma, and Yuuske saved her, it was only Kazuma's constant pleading that made her try some more, allowing her to develop a taste for it.  She was what Shizuru, Kazuma's sister, called a 'vegetarian', one who never ate the meat of another creature.  She wondered about Hiei's preferences in food.

"Hiei," said asked, "some of these dishes are quite good.  Why don't you try just a bit?"

Hiei shook his head, saying, "Eating a lot makes one lazy.  Besides, humans make their food with spices to make it appealing for their greedy mouths.  See how they present them?  Its meant to all be finished, and it is a luxury that I won't allow myself to fall into."

Hakkai looked at him for a moment, and then asked, "Hiei, what will you eat, then?  All we have is our food, and the land we will be crossing for the next day is not the developed in vegetations, nor is it populated by many wild animals."

Gojyo made a disgusted face, "I hope your not planning to hunt down and eat some squirrels."

Goku, his mouth still stuffed with food, turned to Sanzou and pulled at his long sleeve, "Sanzou, are squirrels delicious?"

"Why don't you go find out yourself?"  Snarled Sanzou.

Hiei glared at them one by one in surprise at what they were proposing, then hissed, "Idiots.  I already said that I have no use for your food.  Leave it at that."

Yukina sighed and reached to the middle of the table where the fruits basket sat, picking up a shining red apple she offered it to Hiei, smiling, "Hiei, I'm guessing that you don't want anything that is cooked and spiced.  I've grown used to this kind of food thanks to Kazuma.  But the human fruits are not so different than the fruits in the Makai.  I'm sure some of them will be to your liking."

Hiei stared at her, his red eyes matching the redness of the apple she held. Yukina wondered if Hiei ever knew his mother.  Had she died when before she had shown him some love that only a mother could grant to their child?  Had she been rough with him, demanding of him things that he had difficult achieving?  Youkai in nature did not keep their offspring for long, since it was a danger to them.  Some were becoming more civilized in the cities, but in the wilderness survival of the fittest was the only way of life.  She tried to imagine what Hiei's mother had been like:  probably small in stature like Hiei was, with black hair and the alluring red eyes that cut down through anything.

Yukina's imaginings were cut out when Hiei relieved her hand from the apple, taking a small bite out of it, chewing, then taking a larger bite.  It seemed he approved of it.

Gojyo nudged Goku and snickered, "Someone just can't say 'no' when pretty red eyes and begging."

Suddenly, Hakaryuu swooped in from an open window, chirping happily.  To everyone's surprise, the little white dragon landed on Hiei's head, tucking its thin leathery wings and wrapping its snaking tail around Hiei's neck.  Hiei sat stiff, his fingers digging deep into the apple, his eyes wide in shock that any creature dared to settle on his person.  He shivered visibly when Hakaryuu buried its head in his hair.

"Scratch me and I'll tear your wings off," growled Hiei, returning to his fruit despite the dragon that had made a home on his head.  He stopped when Hakaryuu lowered its neck and chirped in his face.  With an exasperated sigh, Hiei tore off a small chunk of the apple and let the little dragon eat it off his fingers, letting it lick the sweet juice and pulp off his hand till he was clean.

They all stared at this, and Yukina felt her chest swell in happiness.  One of the reasons that she had slowly become attracted to Kazuma was because of his gentleness toward animals, especially little kittens.  Even though he and Hiei always fought and bickered, here was a common ground:  The need to be gentle to a creature that was defenseless.

"That," said Gojyo, "is just damn cute."

Hakkai laughed, "I think Hakaryuu likes you, Hiei."

Hiei grunted, "As long as he doesn't scratch me he can do as he likes."

Sanzou stood after this, saying, gruffly, "Lets go."  Shoving his chair away, he briskly walked out without another word.  

Hakkai wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood as well and smiled benignly when Goku whined up at him, "But I'm still hungry!"

Gojyo also stood and laughed, "That's all you ever are, idiot.  Watch it cause when you reach your twenties all that weight that you burn so easily will come back to haunt you."

"Not like that bear belly your going to develop in a couple of years, cockroach!"

Hakkai sighed at them and helped Yukina out of her seat, "We had better hurry.  Sanzou does not like to be kept waiting, and he seems to have developed a headache in the course of our meal, which is making more temperamental than normal."

Yukina looked to where Sanzou was waiting outside.  "Oh dear, maybe I can help soothe the pain with my powers."

Hiei stood, and walked past them, with Hakaryuu still settled on his head, chewing happily on the apple core.  "Don't waste your strength," he said to her over his shoulder.  "I have a feeling that it will only come back."  He gestured towards Gojyo and Goku who were grappling over the last loaf of bread.  "Unless you can make those fools behave themselves I doubt you can do anything for the monk."

Yukina smiled as Hiei walked out of the inn, coming to stand a few feet away from Sanzou who ignored him.  Yukina watched in amusement as Hakkai went over and pried Gojyo and Goku from the table and dragged them out while they protested loudly.  Giggling, she followed them out and watched Hakaryuu fly off Hiei's head to transform into the green jeep that they would use as transportation.

Gojyo helped her to the back, with him and Goku.  Sanzou sat in the front passenger seat, and Hakkai behind the wheel.  Hiei stood alone with his arms crossed over his chest, contemplating on the seating arrangements before jumping onto the front hood and settling himself on it right in front of Sanzou.

Hakkai said, "Hiei, that is not a place to sit.  There is still enough room in the back…"

Hiei interrupted him sharply; "I will not sit in the back with the fools.  Besides, since I will be carrying the dragon on my head, then it's only suitable that when he's in this form that he carry me on his head."

"But," argued Hakkai, "the motor will get hot…"

Hiei grinned nastily, "Even the hottest of flames cannot harm me."

Hakkai still tried again, "But you can be thrown off, and…"

Hiei glared at the green eyed Youkai and snapped, "Let the dragon decide for himself, since it is _his_ head that I will be sitting on."

"Hakaryuu?"  Asked Hakkai, not sure how to handle this.  But when he received a happy chirping answer he conceded.  "Very well, Hiei.  You win."

Yukina called up to Hiei, "Be careful, Hiei!"

Hiei looked over her shoulder and smirked, silently telling her that her not to worry about him.  Then his eyes wandered over her shoulder and his eyes widened in alarm, his whole body tensing to spring.  Startled, Yukina looked over here shoulder to see only the inn with its doors shut.  Other than the faints sounds of the people within there was nothing to make Hiei react so.

Sanzou, who seemed to have also noticed Hiei's tensing, also looked at the inn, but not finding anything.  He looked at Hiei still staring at the inn.  "What is it?"  He asked.

Yukina was startled when Hiei yanked off his bandana and opened his Jagan eye, the purple orb glowing.  They four others gaped at this, and beside her, Yukina heard Goku hissing to Gojyo "Is it possible to have three eyes?"

"Hiei," asked Sanzou again, "what is it?"

The Jagan stopped glowing, and Hiei shook his head and relaxed, replacing the bandana on and covering it from the peering eyes of strangers.  "Nothing," he said, "only shadows."

Yukina looked back at the inn and the issue was dropped and Hakkai started the jeep, wondering what kind of shadows could have seemed threatening to Hiei?

TO BE CONTINUED… 

@.@  ahhhh!!!   All this in one sitting!  Finally, after months of studying, studying, and more studying I have finally produced and completed a chapter!!!!!  

Ah well, please drop me a line for constructive criticism or just plain praising, it does my ego good!  Hope I kept them all in character, especially Hiei and Yukina.  I just want to pick their brains a bit, especially Hiei.

Ok, gotta go now, still have two more exams (though they're easy A's for me, that's why I'm finally so relaxed) and then frrreeeeeeeeedddddooooooom!!  

What fic should I work on next??


	5. part 5

NOTES: I had intended to finish this part in July 2003, but due to unexpected events I was delayed...then I had to travel...then classes started...and I had a class that was a thorn in my side, then I had to travel again, then two days after I got back my father had a heart attack, then the next semester started and more classes took over my life. I'm sorry for the long wait. The only good thing is that I have been writing original stuff, though because of that all my creative juices are drained when I DO have time to work on my fanfics.

Also I'd like to apologize because I am so confused of what the names of Hiei's attacks are and how hey are used. If I really botched something up, please KINDLY point it out and explain how it is used

Hmm...writing this chapter was difficult for many reasons. Among them is Homura himself. The copies of Saiyuki I own are with really, reeeaaaalllyyy shitty subtitles. Half the time I couldn't understand what was going on. Homura is the main event of this chapter and having the Kami speak took so much character study. Not only that, but Hiei really laid it thick on me (probably for my extreme delay). What kind of offers would he take? What are his goals and dreams, what does he seek other than protecting Yukina and the tear gem? Both of these characters seem so obvious but they have so much depth to them that my mind sometimes spins.

Heh, but I guess that's why I love them so much.

_**WARNINGS: Action, violence, and a little BLOOD!!! Not too much or I myself will puke...weak stomach.**_

ABANDONED CHILDREN 

**Part V**

Hiei had never ridden in a car before...not that he ever wanted to ride in any four wheeled human contraption thought up by some deranged human with too many hours to spare. But riding _on_ a car was something else, especially if said car was in reality a shape shifting little white dragon, and that the car was opened roofed and Hiei was allowed to sit quite comfortably on the warm humming hood. Hiei hated to admit it, but it was quite nice actually, with the wind blowing in his face, and the open road ahead of him, with the blue sky above...

"PERVERT! PIG! Watch where you put that nasty arm of yours!"

"I'm a big boy, kid, I need to stretch."

"You just want to get your greasy arm around Yukina!"

"I would think Yukina would prefer my arm around her, than your monkey voice howling."

...But then, the background noise was something to be desired. He would have gutted the two idiots in the back, then burned their remains till there was nothing left but black cinders if Yukina had not been sitting in between the two already mentioned idiots. Hakkai had leaned over to him when he was contemplating homicide and whispered to that had Yukina not been there, the two in the back would have already attacked each other with fists and feet, followed by Sanzou's gun firing to silence them.

"Actually, they're doing pretty good for Yukina's sake," Hakkai had added in the end.

And in a frightening way, Hiei believed the soft spoken Hakkai. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the two bickering youkai yelling at each other, yes, but yelling over Yukina's head. The girl was smiling, her large eyes darting in between the two as they verbally sparred with each other. Hiei glanced to see an equally smiling Hakkai listening to the squabbling as if he were listening to two songbirds making beautiful music. Sanzou on the other hand looked like he was near his last ropes as he attempted to read a newspaper, his glasses perched on his nose, a vein throbbing atop his temple. It seemed Hiei had not been the only one contemplating homicide.

"Just keep your dirty arms to yourself!" yelled Goku, his face turning to an interesting shade of red.

"You keep saying 'dirty', monkey, when I don't need to be _reminded_ to take a bath," taunted Gojyo, a big grin on his face as he looked down at the fuming youth. When Goku fumbled with his words, the red haired half-youkai laughed and ruffled Goku's brown head, "Aw, the monkey has agreed that he _is_ a monkey!"

Goku glared up at his older companion, and blushed slightly when he saw Yukina's eyes on him. Feeling whipped (and looking it) he turned to the one person he believed that could rescue him. "Sanzou..."

"Shut it; you start it, you finish it," was the cold reply to the plea from behind the flapping newspaper.

Hiei distanced himself from the back occupants as the jeep drove into a forest area, the road becoming slightly bumpy and uneven. Hiei dropped his head back to the top the windshield and shut his eyes. Yes, other than the infernal noise, it was nice. Without thinking, he dropped his bandaged hand to the hood and ran his palm over the smooth warm surface. In response to his touch, Hakaryuu cooed in a high peeping voice. Hiei continued stroking.

How long he did this, basking in the warmth, he had not clue. A couple of minutes, an hour? However long, Hiei was suddenly roused when his jagan flared up in warning as something fierce and powerful started to approach them fast. His hand stilled on the green hood as he said out load, "Prepare yourselves; something comes."

With his warning said, he jumped backwards, grabbing Yukina by her slim waist and hoisting the two of them up into the looming trees. Yukina had made no noise other than gasping lowly in surprise, remaining quite as he watched tensely at the surroundings. Following Hiei's swift movements, Hakaryuu transformed with a loud 'poof' spilling the remaining four occupants and flapping upward to land on Hiei's shoulder.

It was a funny picture, seeing the others sprawled ungraciously on the forest ground; limbs twisted comically, faces in the dirt. Goku was the first up, waving his fist up at them as he yelled angrily, "What the hell?! Next time a warning would be nice!!"

Gojyo was next to rise, rubbing his sore behind as he helped Hakkai up grumbling as he did, "Looks like you've been abandoned for another master."

Sanzou was the last, cursing foully and he rose and attempted to dust off his robe and clean his glasses. Once they were tucked away, he cast a baleful glance up at the three above, which amused Hiei. He would have said something, but the attack came from above. A streak of burning flames plummeted down, barely avoiding the four young men on the ground.

Letting go of Yukina, and brushing off Hakaryuu, Hiei whispered, "Stay here," he flitted off to another branch on another tree. As the four below cursed, he let his red eyes survey the landscape, trying to find where the enemy was hiding. Absently, he reached out to a sturdy branch and snapped it off, brushing off the smaller twigs and leaves. He had no weapon other than his powers, and it would be a waste of energy to attack with powers first. His sword was missing, so instead he had a flimsy excuse for a substitute. Even so, he could gouge out an eye with just a branch.

He cast a quick look back to Yukina, who was clutching the branch she was perched in with Hakaryuu hovering over her protectively.

As the red flames burned out, leaving the woodland ground scorched and blackened, a large wave of over twenty youkai swarmed out from the shadows, bearing down on the four companions below. They were such weak creatures, with barely any youki to speak of. It was a wonder why Hiei hadn't sensed such a large amount of enemies so close by. Hiei watched grimly as the youkai were slaughtered by Sanzou and his friends. It was like watching a suicide mission gone wrong, for suicide missions ended with the enemies dead. But what was the point of sacrificing one's life if in the end the enemy still lived?

Hiei watched the four fighting, their movements almost languid. They did not fear for their lives; it looked suspiciously like they were enjoying themselves! Hiei smirked, he could relate to that. He watched Sanzou with his gun, shooting impeccably at his opponents, killing them with one shot. Hakkai was like a viper, easily dodging all attacks and striking once with his ki. Gojyo taunted, and grinned as he swung his odd yet effective weapon about. Goku on the other hand looked like he was having the time of his life, jumping and stabbing down with his summoned staff. These four who seemed to want to kill each other when calm worked well together in battle.

Unbidden thoughts of the human world came to Hiei's mind. He could almost hear Yuuske laughing at something that only he could understand. The fool Kuwabara would be there, probably the butt of Yuuske's joke, and Kurama would be smiling in amusement as well.

Hiei snarled at himself angrily, since when was he to think about such foolish things? Truly he had let himself go soft since his fateful meeting with Yuuske.

His Jagan flared up once more, responding to that first fierce power. From right beneath him a lone figure stepped forward. He was a tall man wearing a flamed cloak, his hands shackled and emitting a great amount of power. Such power dwarfed even Sanzou's holy aura, and Goku barely came close to equaling this new opponent. Hiei was about to plunge down to attack this new arrival, but stopped when he saw a smirk appear on the man's features. Was he aware of him?

"Homura!"

It was Goku's outraged voice that jarred Hiei. Homura, the Kami whom the bitch wanted Hiei to attack, and Homura, the Kami who really pissed Goku off. It was ironic how everyone Yukina and him had met in this world were connected one way or other. He could almost hear Kuwabara babbling nonsense about fate and destiny.

Homura's voice drifted up to Hiei, "We meet again, Son Goku. I trust you have kept yourself busy since we last met? I see you were able to handle my welcoming committee quite nicely."

"What do you want this time, Homura?" demanded Sanzou, sounding quite put out.

The Kami still had the smirk on his face as he answered, "Nothing much, Konzen. Don't worry; I'm not here to take the Maten Scriptures or Son Goku. I'm here because I'm just curious about something."

Hiei barely managed to dodge the attack when it came. Homura had whirled around, a sword suddenly in his hand, sending flames right at the tree he was hiding in. Hiei sent himself plummeting down, the sharp end of thick branch in his hand aimed for the side of Homura's face. He wasn't all that surprised when the other dodged him, and for a moment he met his opponents eyes: Gold and blue, one so familiar to Goku's odd shimmering ones. There was always something haunting and ancient about Goku's eyes, something that spoke of great pain, sadness and uncontrollable rage. Homura was the same, but that rage had a purpose that made this Kami quite formidable.

But formidable or not, purpose or not, Hiei would not let anyone get in his way.

Gritting his teeth, Hiei leapt back, but pivoted on his foot and launched himself at the Kami once again, sure that this man would not be able to dodge in time. But Homura's smirk remained in place, his odd mismatched eyes gleaming with amusement as he stepped aside and twisted his arms about. This movement sent his long chains wild, snaring Hiei's neck in their grasp and locking tight. With a harsh jerk, Homura slammed Hiei into the ground with such force that the impact shook the earth and made a small crater where Hiei's small body had connected.

It was like being hit by one of Yuuske's strongest Rei attacks, knocking all the breath out, and making the demon taste blood in his mouth that had come from his lungs. But the Kami did not wait for Hiei to recuperate, tightening the chains so that they started to bite into Hiei's neck, and jerking up, lifting the small demon clear off his feet. Hiei saw red as he lost more oxygen, his mind slowly starting to become frantic, but his veteran instincts pushing them coldly down. Lifting one hand he attempted to pry his fingers in between his bleeding neck and the chain, while stubbornly keeping hold of the branch in the other. Any normal metal would have shattered in his hands, but this one was stronger, a ward in itself, keeping the power of the Kami who wore it stunted; keeping Hiei from breaking free.

Not too far away, Hiei could hear the sounds of cursing; Goku and his companions were obviously busy with some other opponents. It was a humiliating thought to be defeated so soon in the battle, even more if the others managed to reach him before his neck snapped. Even that idiot Kuwabara would have lasted longer in a fight where he was outmatched.

Growling in rage, he swung the useless branch, letting it shatter against the Kami's body. He despised the sword attack, it was inferior to all his other abilities, but there were times it came in handy. The problem was, like the Black Dragon, he needed time to gather it without the Kami noticing. He needed a distraction, a short quick distraction.

And as if summoned, the distraction came in the form of a frigid wind that encased Homura's arm in ice, followed by a red eyed white baby dragon, shrieking as it attacked the Kami's unprotected head.

"Interesting," murmured Homura, releasing Hiei with a flick of his wrists and swatting Hakaryuu away from him like he was an annoying insect. Hiei fell to his knees, but wasted no time as he summoned the dark blade and stabbed up at Homura. But like his name, Homura was a Kami, and a Kami who had the powers of the Heavens. He easily twisted his head to the side, avoiding the attack, then smirking down at Hiei's enraged shock; he swung leg and connected it to Hiei's side. In a second, some things cracked, Hiei tasted blood, he was airborne, and then came to a crunching halt as his back met the trunk of a large tree. The tree groaned and cracks shot up the trunk before it spit completely in half and both halves went plunging to the ground sending birds and woodland creatures scurrying for safety in neighboring trees.

Hiei had to blink the blackness from his vision, willing unconsciousness away by sheer stubbornness. He tried to move but felt the unnerving feeling of one of his ribs digging deeper into one of his lungs. Hiei found himself chocking and heaving blood, his mind raging in disbelief that this Kami had the power to render him useless with a single kick. Rolling to his side, Hiei hacked and spit the crimson liquid from his lungs, taking in small gulps of air as he clutched his torso.

A tall shadow came to loom over him, and Hiei managed to glare hatefully up at the gloating god. "Had enough?" asked Homura, a self-assured grin imprinted on his pale face, though his eyes were sharp daggers stabbing at the demon, as if slicing him apart to truly see what he looked like from the inside.

Hiei spat some more blood, and then sneered, "I know a human who can hit harder than you. The gods here must be weaklings if they sent you to represent their might."

Homura blinked for a moment, then laughed genuinely, amused by Hiei's words. Still chuckling, he reached down, digging his hand into the demon's dark black hair and lifting him so that Hiei was forced to look straight up. Kneeling slightly he said, "Your words are ignorant yet ring true, little demon. The gods are weaklings that need a heretical creature that should not exist, such as myself, to do their dirty work."

Though fuming from the shameful hold he was in, Hiei could not help but be intrigued by Homura's words. Snorting slightly, and barely able to hold back a wince at the pain that it caused, he said, "If you're so strong, then why not break away from the gods, and if they try to stop you, destroy every last one of them?"

Again the Kami laughed, "And that is exactly why I am here. Already I have broken away from those who thought themselves better, and now will create a world where they do not exist." Homura leaned closer, "Red eyes, the eyes of a child of taboo. Anyone with sense can see that there is no human in you, but nonetheless your existence comes from a forbidden union, and the rage I see in your eyes tells me that you have suffered dearly for it. Just as I and those you travel with have suffered, though none more than Son Goku."

Hiei stared at Homura; unsettled by the insight he was hearing. Few creatures ever managed to speak to him of the truth of his life so freely, and even fewer survived his anger after such words were exchanged. Only Kurama was able to get close enough to understand, but Hiei knew very well that had he met Kurama before his Suuichi years, things would have not boded well for Hiei. Yet here was Homura, speaking, and Hiei knew that he spoke from personal experience.

"Imprisonment and abandonment are the only things we know in our lives," Homura continued, "imprisonment from those who fear us and are too weak and cowardly to kill us; abandonment from those who were supposed to protect us," he paused for a moment, his eyes far away, "and even if there was one who took the chance to love us, they'd be taken away for daring to have feelings other than loathing and fear for the heretical child."

For a second, Hiei heard a desperate and pleading scream for mercy, felt the warded bandages imprisoning his infantile limbs as the hands that held him aloft let go, and as he fell his small fingers clutched what was dear close.

Gritting teeth at the unwanted memory, Hiei hissed, "So they become stronger, with every single drop of blood that is shed, they become stronger so no one can dare take away what is precious."

"We seem to understand each other," murmured Homura, loosening his hold from Hiei's hair and switching it to one of Hiei's forearms, lifting the demon higher till he was completely dangling off his feet. "Look at yourself, even with the pain of having your own broken ribs slicing into you lungs, with you quite literally drowning in your own blood, you're still fighting to survive."

"Get...to your point," seethed Hiei, barely managing to breath in this new position.

Homura smiled, "I will create a world where there are none of these laws made by beings who fear anything that they cannot see past their noses. A new world that is not governed by self-suffering fools. Imagine the possibilities! Imagine if you had been born, and not have been cast away; to have lived with your birth parents and siblings without fear of punishment from the heavens. Equality, a world without those self righteous bastards who call themselves gods."

Hiei felt his lids get heavy, and perhaps it was the lack of oxygen, but he could almost see the world Homura spoke of, a world where he could see his mother smile and his unknown father close by, and a world where Yukina sat with her animals and waved for him to join, her hand beckoning. All he had to do was reach and take it...

"It's...just a dream," whispered Hiei, turning away Yukina's hand.

"Not a dream," insisted Homura, placing his free hand over Hiei's ribs. When the demon tensed at this contact he continued, "I have a way of creating this world, but for this world to be, there must be a few who deserve to inhabit it. The ones who were abandoned because they were special."

Hiei let out a chuckle that came out more as a gurgle, but he met the Kami's mismatched eyes. "You're a fool," he mocked, "not only are you chasing a childish dream, but you are fooling yourself into believing that such a world can exist. No race whether they are god, demon, or lowly human will be able to live up to your ideals. Eventually the strong will rule over the weak, and you will have another corrupt world repeating the same mistakes." He sneered, "What will you do then? Create another one?"

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Homura sighed, "So you refuse?"

"A dream should stay as that: a dream. Anything else is madness, and death is better than trying to obtain what doesn't exist."

"Pity."

The hard grip on his arm loosened, and just as the small demon was slipping down, Homura's leg swung at him. Hiei barely was able to lift his arms to guard his already shattered torso before the kick connected, sending him skidding face forward deep into the forest ground. Haltingly, he lifted his face out of the dirt, pausing as the glimmering blue of the tear gem caught his eye. The front of his shirt had been shredded, exposing the top of his chest and the small stone. He hesitated, wanting to secure it out of sight so that it wouldn't get lost in the fray. However, he had no time to even lift his hand to it before Homura attacked, sending his fist down towards Hiei's back.

The agile demon managed to roll away to safety, standing up though still clutched his ribs, trying to ignore the sensation of his bones shifting and piercing his organs with every move he made. But Homura was at him again, this time his flame sword slicing at him, digging deep into his side with such force that Hiei was spun twice before falling. He was able to get out of the way of another thrust at him, but he stumbled back and Homura swung again, the sword cutting him from his right shoulder to left hip.

Time seemed to slow; the only thing clear amidst the sight of his blood splattering was the clear blue gem, the rope that held it severed, as it flew away from Hiei. He snarled in rage, twisting sharply, ignoring his broken body, he reached out and caught the gem in his bandaged hand, then landed harshly on his stomach. The small stone was solid in his clenched fist, not biting or sharp, but smooth and cold. Staring at it he could see that his hand was covered in his own blood, the crimson surrounding the blue.

Insanely, Hiei had the urge to giggle at the irony of it.

"You're strong," he said, smirking from his vulnerable position. "That's good. Would have been pathetic if you weren't among the strongest."

"The strongest, eh?" there was an odd tone in Homura's voice.

The flame sword was raised over Hiei, as if it were the weapon of an excecutioner. When it came carving down he swung his clenched arm, using his own flesh to deflect a blow that would have cleaved him in two. While Homura blinked at him in surprise, Hiei darted away, taking a second to look over his injured appendage. The cut was deep, nearly severing the tendons but not damaging the bone too severely. It still held the gem.

Already his blood was pooling under him. If he didn't loose consciousness from loss of blood, it would be from his punctured lungs. Either way, Hiei knew he was outmatched. Surprisingly this did not daunt him, he knew eventually an opponent stronger than him would finish him off. That was the life he had lived by since the Koorime threw him away. Strength was the only thing he acknowledged. Yuuske had it, Kurama had it, even the idiot had potential. There was no shame in being defeated by an opponent stronger than him.

But who said Homura was stronger than him? He hadn't even shown the Kami a bit of his Dragon.

Suddenly a familiar form leapt before him, and Hiei was forced to stare in horror as Yukina spread her arms in a makeshift barrier between him and the Kami. She was rigid, trembling slightly, and pale, but he could see the fierceness in her large red eyes.

"Stop this," her soft voice did not shake when she spoke, "that's enough. Don't you dare touch him again!"

Hiei's eyes widened, watching Yukina trying to protect him.

Homura stared at her, and he smiled almost knowingly, "So you show yourself as well? I thought you'd stay hidden as you were told. For one as weak as you it's foolish to stand there as if you can stop me. Move aside, there is no reason for you to get involved."

But Yukina stayed where she was, and Hiei knew that the Kami spoke the truth. "Get out of the way," he growled at her back.

However, Homura did not give her a chance to reply, striking forward, he grabbed Yukina by the front of her tunic and flung her aside. She skidded and rolled on the rough ground before she came to a stop, shuddering without so much as a cry.

And Hiei saw red...

...the pure gem fell from bloodstained nerveless fingers...

...then the pitch darkness of black flames took over...

White bandaged wards were reduce to ashes, the jagan pulsing with power and rage as he lifted his arm, the black dragon Kokaryuu began pulling away from his flesh, it maw gapping open with malignant intent. Through the darkness that surrounded his vision whenever he used this technique, Hiei could see the Kami's mismatched eyes widen in shock, the god taking an uncertain step back.

From the side he saw a hint of brown and gold and Goku's gasping in awe, "What the hell?! There's dragon on your arm?!"

Hiei spat out some blood and smiled sinisterly at Homura though he addressed Goku when he spoke, "Not for long, its begging for a taste of god."

"Wait...!" started Goku, stepping forward, but Homura flung his arm out, halting him.

"Do not get involved, Son Goku," he said, his eyes narrowed at Hiei's arm and the dragon that was getting larger with every second. "I believe I have pushed your new companion without doing the proper research. Come," he beckoned Hiei with his red sword, "let us see how far you can go."

"Die then."

And the dragon was let loose, spinning off of Hiei's outstretched arm and charging at the god. It expanded in size so that its long serpentine body towered over the trees, knocking some down, while others were caught up in an eerie black flame. It struck at Homura, and Hiei was sure the kami would be consumed, but everything halted as the Kokaryuu's jaws were stopped by Homura's flame sword.

Hiei saw a twisted smirk on the kami's limps as he watched his attack dispel. As the flames flickered out, the black dragon reared back returning to his arm. There was a heavy silence, with only Hiei's labored breathing ringing in his ears and the distant cackling of burning trees.

"I cannot die here."

Hiei looked up at god as he approached him, the sword was gone having served its purpose. He shuddered once, and then lifted his arms halfway in defense. That was as far as they would go. "I _will_ kill you," he hissed.

"You will fail," said Homura softly.

Goku's sudden desperate scream reached them, "Homura, stop!"

Hiei clenched his teeth, feeling the blood dripping from his chin. He had lost too much blood. "I _will_ get stronger."

Homura stopped a few feet from him. "Perhaps," he said. "But you will never be the strongest." Hiei growled at this, but the god continued, "Only the strongest will be able to kill me, and you, little demon, are not him."

Goku lunged in between them, his golden eyes wide and stricken with horror. "Homura, you bastard!" He jumped up, trying to land a solid punch on the kami's face, but the attack was easily dodged. Goku managed a small curse when his fist was caught and he was flipped onto his back, the impact so harsh that the ground cracked beneath him. He gasped, and let out a gurgled cough, rolling onto his side and shuddering.

Turning away from him, Homura went back to Hiei, leaning down so that they were nearly eye to eye. Though his eyes were blazing in rage, Hiei could see the image of his enemy wavering and shifting. He blinked, unwilling to be the one to look away.

From behind them Goku cried out, "Homura! Don't!" Desperate, pleading, tearing at him.

Even with his failing vision Hiei saw a change in Homura's eyes, something sad and ancient in the glittering gold and blue. It brought him back to the rooftops with Goku, that hidden fury that was always there behind the smile, hidden so tight that it was nearly forgotten.

Strong hands gripped his shoulders, forcing Hiei to stiffen in alarm as Homura came closer so that his face was beside his own, his lips right at his ear.

"Only by his hand will I die."

Then the kami was gone.

And Hiei's body finally gave out, letting his consciousness drown in the sea of darkness of his mind...

Goku's cries drifting farther away in the shadows.

TO BE CONTINUED....O.o 

OH MY GOD I FINALLY FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And when I mean IT I mean the chapter not the story. If it were the chapter I would have passed out in sheer joy, not feeling proud and shamed at the same time like I am at this very moment. But anyway, here it is...Chapter 5 done...and for some reason Hiei can't stay conscious for more than two chapters in this story.

_**Anyway, please review, send e-mails...whatever. Constructive criticism is good, especially since I know I botched up the whole Dragon thingie...I suck.**_

_**Sarlinia**_


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